What Do People Think of You?

In A Christmas Carol, Ebenezer Scrooge had a bad reputation among his peers. His selfish, cruel way of living created barriers for him. Throughout the course of his three visitors, he was given a chance to change his heart. And he did! But did people instantly trust Scrooge?

Changing your reputation can be a very difficult thing to do, perhaps because it involves a level of humility. The apostle Paul understood that very well. We can read about a time when the believers near Damascus didn’t really believe he’d changed his ways of persecuting Christians (Acts 9:23-24).

What’s your reputation like? Would you want to know how people think of you? We can spend countless hours creating an image that we want the world to see – virtually or physically – but as Jesus said in Matthew 7:20, “by their fruit you will recognize them.”

How do you change what you’ve been or how others see you? Sometimes it requires gathering new friends around you. Friends that resemble the reputation you want to emulate. Another important reputation-rebuilder is to join a team! Get involved in a place where the group has a goal of helping others. Hebrews 10:24-25 reminds us of one of the reasons for congregational assembly… “And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another…”

Another thing might be to smile more. It may be skin deep sometimes, but there’s something about smiling more that helps us focus on more positive things. Paul said in Philippians 4:4, “Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again—rejoice! Let everyone see that you are considerate in all you do.” 

We can look back through scriptures and see several people who had to redefine who they were to their peers. One, in particular, was Zacchaeus, the tax collector. To be a Jew collecting Roman money from the Jews created instant enemies. Regardless of his job, his heart longed to see Jesus. But even Zacchaeus understood that in order to be accepted as a true follower of Jesus, he’d have to change his reputation. So, he proclaimed to the crowd, “I will give half my wealth to the poor, Lord, and if I have cheated people on their taxes, I will give them back four times as much!” (Luke 19:8).

Consider how we can learn from Zacchaeus’ brave move. Do you see something in Jesus’ life that makes you want to stop being or doing things a certain way? God wants us to respond to His presence the same as Zacchaeus – in repentance!