Day 16: What Is Your Reputation Saying
SENT: 21-DAYS OF PRAYER AND FASTING
What Is Your Reputation Saying
Written By: Dele Bamgboye
Read Acts 17:1-9 and 1 Thessalonians 1:6-8
We have all experienced this moment. You introduce yourself to someone and they respond, “Oh, you are that person. I have heard so much about you.” And if you are anything like me, your immediate thought is, “I hope it is good things.” This is exactly what it means when we say, your reputation precedes you. People form impressions of you long before they meet you.
Paul’s letter to the church in Thessalonica shows us the power of a godly reputation. Their faith had become known everywhere. Their example encouraged believers far beyond their city, and even today we still read about their steadfastness. What an incredible testimony for a local church.
But why was their reputation so strong, and why does Paul urge other believers to model them? Scripture tells us that the Thessalonian church faced severe persecution. Imagine gathering for a life group and officials forcing their way in to arrest you because of your faith. This was the reality they lived in. Paul wrote that their suffering mirrored the persecution of Christ Himself.
Yet despite intense pressure, their faith did not weaken. They maintained a Christlike attitude. Their endurance, joy, and love caused the gospel to spread and the church to grow. Their reputation was not built on comfort but on conviction. It was shaped in hardship.
The same is true for us. Our lives speak constantly, not just our words. Our families, colleagues, and neighbours see our faith most clearly through how we respond to trials. A Christlike reputation is built daily through steadfast faith, love, and resilience that reflect the transforming power of the gospel.
Paul’s letter to the church in Thessalonica shows us the power of a godly reputation. Their faith had become known everywhere. Their example encouraged believers far beyond their city, and even today we still read about their steadfastness. What an incredible testimony for a local church.
But why was their reputation so strong, and why does Paul urge other believers to model them? Scripture tells us that the Thessalonian church faced severe persecution. Imagine gathering for a life group and officials forcing their way in to arrest you because of your faith. This was the reality they lived in. Paul wrote that their suffering mirrored the persecution of Christ Himself.
Yet despite intense pressure, their faith did not weaken. They maintained a Christlike attitude. Their endurance, joy, and love caused the gospel to spread and the church to grow. Their reputation was not built on comfort but on conviction. It was shaped in hardship.
The same is true for us. Our lives speak constantly, not just our words. Our families, colleagues, and neighbours see our faith most clearly through how we respond to trials. A Christlike reputation is built daily through steadfast faith, love, and resilience that reflect the transforming power of the gospel.
Reflect
What is my reputation known for when it comes to my faith?
How do I respond to difficult situations?
How do I respond to difficult situations?
Prayer
Lord, help me to have a Christlike attitude in every situation. Fill my heart with Your joy, strengthen my faith in trials, and let my life reflect You in all I do. Amen.
Posted in SENT: 21-Days of Prayer and Fasting