‘Reputation and Character’

9/3/2019

I Was Thinking…

I happened upon these words from Hersey Davis and thought them insightful.

Reputation and Character

The circumstances amid which you live determine your reputation; the truth you believe determines your character. Reputation is what you are supposed to be; character is what you are. Reputation is the photograph; character is the face. Reputation comes over one from without; character grows from within.

Reputation is what you have when you come to a new community; character is what you have when you go away. Your reputation is learned in an hour; your character does not come to light for a year. Reputation is made in a moment; character is built in a lifetime. Reputation grows like a mushroom; character grows like an oak.

A single news report gives you your reputation; a life of toil gives you your character. Reputation makes you rich or makes you poor; character makes you happy or makes you miserable. Reputation is what people say about you on your tombstone; character is what angels say about you before the throne of God.

It is my prayer that God would inspire and empower us to lean into a Godly character and then, I believe, the reputation will take care of itself.

“…we also boast in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us.” Apostle Paul (Romans 5:3-5, NRSV)

Always Thinking…