Guard Your Godly Reputation

"It takes 20 years to build a reputation and five minutes to ruin it. If you think about that, you’ll do things differently." Warren Buffett

This quote is so true. Just like natural disasters such as hurricanes, earthquakes, and tornadoes that can come along and destroy in less than five minutes what it took you years to build, so it is with your reputation. The bible tells us in Philippians 4:6, "Be careful for nothing;..." We must understand that there are some people that we can not hang out with. We need to make sure that the company we keep is not bringing a reproach upon our name or the name of God. Keeping company with the wrong crowd will definitely destroy a good reputation fast. "Be not deceived; evil communications corrupt good manners." (1 Corinthians 15:33)

There are some places we should not go, even if we are doing nothing wrong. It might appear wrong in the eyes of the beholder. "Let not then your good be evil spoken of". (Romans 14:16) "Abstain from all appearance of evil." (1 Thessalonians 5:22) We must keep our speech pure. "...shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness." (II Timothy 2:16)

When there's talk of doing something which is wrong, take a stand against it. Sometimes we need to simply get up and walk away. We need to be "Providing for honest things, not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men." (2Corinthians 8:21) "Neither give place to the devil." (Ephesians 4:27)

It is up to us to protect what God has given us. If we don't make a stand and guard what we have against evil then we will lose it. Satan will set a trap and if we are not careful, we will be caught up in it. So make a stand and do all that you can to protect your reputation in the Lord.