Reputation

Reputation: commonly held opinion of a person’s character; the estimation in which a person or thing is held, especially by the community or the public generally; favorable repute; good name; a favorable and publicly recognized name or standing for merit, achievement, reliability, etc. http://www.dictionary.com/browse/reputation?s=t

Synonyms for reputation: character, fame, honor, influence, name, notoriety, opinion, position, prestige, prominence, standing, stature, acceptability, account, approval authority, credit, dependability, distinction, eminence, esteem, estimation, favor, mark, privilege, rank, regard, reliability, renown, report, repute, respectability, trustworthiness, weight, éclat. http://www.thesaurus.com/browse/reputation

It has been my privilege to know many people who were, and continue to be, of stellar reputation.  Their influence lingers on. What I have learned has been etched deeply into my heart, and I hope it reflects in my reputation and character. While it is true that one’s reputation can be threatened by a single event, the people I most love, honor, and respect continue to surround me in that great band of witnesses; some on this thin sliver of eternity and others in the great beyond we call Heaven. One such witness is my father. I do not know of any who have not made mistakes, many more than one. Thank God for that, otherwise I would be so undone, so discouraged, so without hope because I know that I have made many mistakes and sinned many times. I have also been recognized for having made differences in peoples’ lives. Pretty humbling. John shares, in 1 John 1:9, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (ESV). His amazing grace!

More is coming: Stay tuned for the next blog on disreputation.