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Having a good reputation in life is a good thing.  I’m not sure anyone tries to have a bad reputation.   Perhaps it just happens, but there are a thousand little decisions that lead to a reputation.

There is nothing Christian about what I’ve said above.  This could apply to anyone, but for the Christian and more specifically and especially for the leader it’s not only demanded but a qualifier to be a church leader.

“The pastor is called to model his message.  His leadership is authenticated through character.  The pastor leads through his life as well as his lips.”  Dave Harvey from his book Am I Called?

Moreover, he must be well thought of by outsiders, so that he may not fall into disgrace, into a snare of the devil.  1 Timothy 3:7

This is not a stand-alone requirement for eldership, we are well aware of all the preceding lists of 1 Timothy 3:1-6 and Titus 1:5-9.  If a man leads his family well or is able to teach, it does not release him from needing to be well thought of in his community.

Even a child makes himself known by his acts, by whether his conduct is pure and upright.  Proverbs 20:11

The danger has a trickle-down effect, it effects, or should I say, infects the congregation.  We as believing people must hold these leaders to a higher standard.  They are accountable to God and they are accountable to the local church.

“Whatever the leaders are, the people will become.” John MacArthur

A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone when he is fully trained will be like his teacher.  Luke 6:40

Dave Harvey asks the question: “Is he godly?”

We don’t have to look further than his reputation from the outside, to get an idea what goes on inside.  How a man acts matters.  Poor behavior can occur in public or private but if there is a tendency to be a public nuisance how much easier does this transfer over to private hypocrisy?

Unbelievers may disagree with what a man teaches or preaches, but they will never condemn his life if he lives out what he professes.  Godly men are known in the community because their reputation has already confirmed them.  Strive for godliness and a good reputation will follow.

Kevin

What is self-image?

self-im·age

/ˈˌself ˈimij/

We all have ideas about who we are and what we are like.  In a sense, we are legends in our own minds.  Now I know that is an attempt at self-deprecating humor in many instances, but I think it’s accurate.

We believe things about ourselves that we think are true.  And even MORE importantly we believe we know things about others that we think is true.  In some cases that’s correct and in other cases it’s not.   We all form opinions based on observational evidence around us.

The human mind has a tendency to think highly of itself and less highly, or sometimes judgmental toward others.  I do it.  You do it.  Don’t you?  Be honest here…

“We” and by we, I mean all human beings, have a tendency to judge others by what we think is right.  To illustrate my point, let’s say I have a standard by which I live.  I believe this is the BEST way to live.  You live differently than I do and you think your way is the best.  Who is right?

Is it simply a matter of “to each his own”?  As long as we aren’t hurting each other right?  But what if we are hurting each other?  Was Hitler correct in his thinking?  He thought it was okay, what he was doing, didn’t he?  He even had the support of his government and by all means, he had the support of the populace.  Did personal thoughts, government or majority make his viewpoints correct?

Unless you are a sociopath or some Neo-nazi you’ll recoil at what I just said.

In those days there was no king in Israel.  Everyone did what was right in his own eyes.  Judges 17:6

It really comes down to an objective standard of truth.  A revelation, if you will, of what is always true and what is always right and what is always WRONG!

There is only one lawgiver and judge, he who is able to save and to destroy.  But who are you to judge your neighbor?   James 4:12

Try as you might you just can’t achieve this outside of a consistent, ever present, Sovereign.  A Creator that never varies.  He is always the same, yesterday, today and forever.  Feel free to argue this if you like, because you are left with very few choices.  Random chaos or order.

Even if you deny the existence of the God of the Bible, you will live as if He does exist.  You cling to absolute beliefs, but you can’t justify them.  You can try, but unless you can acknowledge an Absolute, you have no basis for your belief.

Our ideas of our self-image are distorted by sin.  We look into a mirror and we look to our good points.  We try and think the best in ourselves and belief in our goodness, but measured against a perfect standard the flaws are evident and obvious.  If we will be honest with ourselves and place our imperfections against the law of God, we see our need for help.  This help comes from another.

Jesus Christ is that “other”.  He is the perfect judge, the perfect sacrifice, the perfect redeemer for those that recognize not only their imperfections but just how hideous they actually look to a Holy God.

Don’t walk away from here today without thinking about where you receive your self-image.

Kevin

Here I am…  It’s Thursday and it’s relatively normal.  Whatever “normal” means.  I’m going about my day, thinking about things, working, mostly thinking about things.

What do I think about you might ask?  Nothing really important, probably the same things you think about.  Life, family, work, the upcoming weekend, the upcoming trips I’m forced to take.

My life is terribly mundane and boring for the most part.  And I’m thankful for that.

I have an amazing wife.  (Jen, did you catch that).  I have four children that love me and I love them.  It’s still a thrill for me when I come home and the two little ones yell out, “Daaaaad!”  And then run toward and almost knock me over with their 35-pound frames.

Life is good, as they say…

Oh, sure I suppose Jen and I wrangle a little bit over a thing or two, but nothing serious.  Eventually, she recognizes that I was right.  😉  After 27 years and 258 days of marriage, we have things mostly figured out.

As I’m thinking about what to say today, I thought, “you know, I’ve got it good”.  Since my blogging reboot, I’ve tried to be “positive”, “devotional” and mostly up-beat.  Christianity should be “up-beat”, and full of joy, so when I’m thinking about how to apply biblical truths to everyday life I think about stuff, or I think about the Bible and say, “how does this apply?”

I could go a dozen directions here but let’s borrow a phrase and live a victorious life, but not in the way you might think.  I don’t mean, the promises of health, wealth and material possessions until all your personal desires have been fully satisfied.  Let’s be a little more theologically correct than that and besides if that’s your benchmark you’ll never make it.

Victorious living comes in the person of Christ through redemption bought and paid at the foot of a bloody cross.  It is here our salvation has been purchased.  It is here we can rejoice at the mundane-ness of life, at the beauty in the simplicity of living with those you love and you are thankful for every breath you’ve been given.  I don’t need more “stuff” to experience that.

I and you can rejoice even when it’s not always going so well.  Because the victory is already won.

Be gracious to me, O LORD!  See my affliction from those who hate me, O you who lift me up from the gates of death, that I may recount all your praises, that in the gates of the daughter of Zion I may rejoice in your salvation.  – Psalm 9:13-14

The psalmist was victorious even in his affliction.  I’m not here to paint the perfect picture of my family and say it’s the “be all end all” of the substance of my life.  Yes, that is a wonderful blessing, but he points to something even better.  Salvation.

If something happens to my picture perfect family unit, I above all have Christ.  I love my family, don’t misunderstand me here, but Christ is my greatest treasure.  And what’s so awesome and cool, is that my wife says the same thing.

Kevin

I posted a quote on Facebook yesterday and it goes like this

“The best way to prove a stick is crooked is to lay a straight one beside it” Vance Havner

I suppose Vance Havner said this, I can’t verify that it’s true but there are a bunch of similar statements made by well-known people throughout history.  Charles Spurgeon, Dwight Moody, Corrie ten Boom said: “God can give a straight blow with a crooked stick.”

Spurgeon is always so Spurgeon-Esq in how he phrases it.

If a crooked stick is before you, you need not explain how crooked it is.  Lay a straight one down by the side of it, and the work is well done.  Preach the truth, and error will stand abashed in its presence.

Here is the crux of the issue.  I don’t care about sticks…  I do care about the truth.

When we lay a straight stick next to a crooked stick we can see the difference.  That’s the point of the quote.  If we gather enough information and evidence to compare the sticks it makes it really easy to see.

It’s when we “won’t” compare them is when the trouble occurs.  If we refuse or if we believe our sticks are already straight this creates a cognitive dissonance of sorts.  We reject reality and critical thinking.

This often times always requires getting outside of our bubble.   Inside our bubble things are safe.  The status quo is rarely never challenged.    If we have indicators around us that things are not right then we need to be Berean.  We should always be Berean.  We should always compare what we are hearing to what the Scripture says and to what others teach.

Let’s say we hear “new” teaching, do we just trust that it’s okay?  Or do we challenge it?  Do we compare?  We have thousands of years of teaching, we have solid teaching all around us, so don’t just trust for the sake of trusting.

Crooked sticks abound.

“And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”  John 8:32

Kevin

What does it mean to believe in something?

I believe my wife loves me but how do I know this to be true?

John 3:16 says that whoever “believes” will inherit eternal life.  That sounds easy enough.  Okay, I believe.  Done.  On to the next topic…

Is it really this simple?  Well, yes, in some respects it is that simple, but then it gets more complicated.  Now what?

Going back to the question about my wife loving me.  The way I know, and the way I trust my wife loves me is how she interacts with me, and the way she behaves toward me.  Or maybe I should turn this around.  How do I behave toward her?

If I won’t speak to her, or I don’t care what she thinks about things, or I don’t interact with her in a way that shows love toward her, if my attention is toward another, then do I really love her?

Suppose I was away on a trip for many months and she sent me letters and I never read them.  I never picked up the phone to call her and ask how things are at home.  Does this give the impression I really care?

Belief transforms our behaviors.  Belief says we “do” by the way we act.  I don’t act to believe, I act because I believe.

This is why Jesus said, “If you love Me, you will keep My commands.”  You can talk about how much you love Christ but outside of your actions, these are just words.

Do you read His letters?  Do you call on Him through prayer?

Are your affections turned toward Him?  This is at the bottom of true belief a transformation from one at enmity toward God to one that loves and desires a close intimate relationship with God through His Son.

Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. – Romans 5:1

Kevin