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Earn a reputation for living well in God’s eyes and the eyes of the people.
Trust God from the bottom of your heart; don’t try to figure out everything on your own.
Listen for God’s voice in everything you do, everywhere you go; he’s the one who will keep you on track.
Don’t assume that you know it all. Run to God! Run from evil!
Your body will glow with health, your very bones will vibrate with life!
Proverbs 3:4-8 The Message
In The Message Bible, the Wisdom book of Proverbs says in the fourth verse of the third chapter to “Earn a reputation for living well…”
What does that mean, and how do you accomplish it?
The Oxford Dictionary defines reputation as “the beliefs or opinions that are generally held about someone or something.”
In other words, when people see and hear a consistent behavior about you, they form an opinion. In their mind, they believe something about you based on that behavior.
For example, if you are constantly helping people down on their luck, they will say you are a benevolent person who is kind to people in need.
Therefore, your reputation is that you are a benevolent person.
You earned the reputation by consistently helping people in need.
Solomon’s counsel is to earn a reputation for living well in the eyes of the people, and the eyes of God.
People can be easily fooled by outward goodness while concealing a rotten heart. In another of Solomon’s Proverbs, he says Humans are satisfied with whatever looks good; God probes for what is good. Proverbs 16:2 The Message
In other words, God looks at the inward part—the heart, not the outward part—appearances.
How do you earn this living well reputation?
The New Living Translation says, THEN, you will find favor.
Then you will find favor with both God and people,
and you will earn a good reputation.
Proverbs 3:4 New Living Translation
So, what does THEN mean?
Good friend, don’t forget all I’ve taught you; take to heart my commands.
They’ll help you live a long, long time, a long life lived full and well.
Don’t lose your grip on Love and Loyalty. Tie them around your neck; carve their initials on your heart.
Proverbs 3:1-3 The Message
- Don’t forget what you have been taught
God is in the business of teaching us things, and we will do well to remember them.
A close personal relationship is about getting close to God as the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
It doesn’t happen overnight. It takes a lifetime of learning.
- Take to heart my commands
One of the greatest tragedies of religion is picking and choosing parts of the Word of God to adhere to and ignore.
A living-well reputation in the eyes of God means embracing all of his words, owning your shortcomings by admitting them and moving toward God instead of away from him.
- Don’t lose your grip on Love and Loyalty
Love is key in a close personal relationship with the Godhead, and loyalty is developed by having a close personal relationship with him.
- Tie them around your neck
Let your outward life reflect your relationship with God. Be honest, and reach out to God when you are weak. He will be there, and your honest life will reflect positively on the people around you.
- Carve their initials on your heart
Let your inward life reflect your relationship with God. Spend time with him, study his Word, listen for his voice, and practice being in his presence by being still instead of anxious.
Your inward witness of God will reflect on your outward life, and you will find a living-well reputation.
A close personal relationship with the Godhead is needed now more than ever.
A close personal relationship with the Godhead is a journey. I invite you to follow along. As I learn, I will pass it along so you, too, can learn. I hope that as you learn, you can pass it along so that I (and others) might learn.
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