Right, with that out of the way, the idea of reputation jumped out at me when reading this passage. The church of the Thessalonians had clearly built up a good one as we read that as Paul travelled around he had no need to tell people of them. People from all over the place knew who they were and what they were about. Their reputation proceeded them.
This struck me in two ways; firstly on a corporate, Church level. The reputation of the Church is not running at its highest ever level. Scandals, infighting, and a lack of integrity or clear understanding of what it stands for have left the church with a pretty bad name amongst Joe Public on the street. This is surely a huge barrier to people who are searching for the God we are supposed to be imitating. The Thessalonians imitated Paul, albeit somewhat more successfully than the church is imitating Jesus today, and they had an amazing reputation.
Secondly, this has real personal implications. On one level this is the same as what I have mentioned above about the church, as the church is made up of individuals. However, as Christians we should have a great personal reputation. A reputation for honesty, integrity, hard work etc etc. A reputation that is attractive and welcoming to people. A reputation built on us imitating Christ.
The Thessalonians imitated Paul and became a group of people renowned for all the right reasons. This is surly the challenge for us today; let us imitate Christ and build up a sound and attractive reputation. We need to choose to work as though working for God. We need to be honest in all our dealings; work, rest, and play. And we need to be people of integrity. People should know that they can trust us, depend on us, and rely on us. We should be imitating Jesus. That is a big challenge in a world which seems to be moving in the opposite direction.
1:17 am
I would agree with your comments on how this chapter shouts about reputation and would like to share a few thoughts.
Reputations work positively and negatively.
Unfortunately for the church the negative parts of reputation seems to make more of an impact in this society and on people i have spoken to.
Everyone makes judgements on what they know from reputations.
I am a member of the ‘Christian Police Association’ and in the recent newsletter produced was an article on the ‘Gay Police Association’ (GPA).
The GPA had made a number of sweeping statements (unfounded and unresearched properly) about the Christian Police Association (CPA) saying the conditions of membership were homophobic as they did not allow homosexual christinas to become members as ‘un-repentant homosexual acts are a sin and inconsistent with membership of the CPA’.
(please note this is not the words of the CPA, and does not reflect the national statement of faith or membership criteria - in which sexual orientation is not even mentioned).
These statements by the GPA had a fairly damaging effect to the reputation of the CPA (and it’s members), so much so when i was talking to a colleague who is a member of the GPA discovered i was in the CPA he literally turned his nose up, wnet very quiet and left the conversation as soon as possible.
(please note i am in no way sharing my opinion on homosexuality or that of any other organisation. This is purely an example of how reputation has had a damaging effect on a conversation and working relationship of mine)
This is small example i have come up with and would like some suggestions on how on a personal level christians can change the reputation that superceeds and has this damaging effect to possible times of evangilism if you like?