Public Awareness Campaign

Yesterday I was talking with a few guys about the subject of Reputation. Particularly looking at reputation as a goal or focus, and that of reputation as a result. The consensus was that when we look too closely at reputation as an end game we are not rightly focused. Our behavior determines our reputation.

So I got to thinking. What if we all made a top 10 list of what we believe people (friends, acquaintances, colleagues) think of us? What would it come out to be?

• Caring?
• Encouraging?
• Leading?
• Good Listening?
• Intuitive?
• Quiet?
• Etc.

And what if those people were required to make a list of what they truly thought of us?

• Giving?
• Nurturing?
• Fearless?
• Lying?
• Self-absorbed?
• Over indulgent?
• Etc.

What if we took a page out of the Scarlet Letter, and actually wore "our" list on the front of our shirts, and unbeknownst to us, the "people's" list was plastered across our backs? What chuckles would be heard from behind? Who would want to avoid us? Who would want to befriend us?

And what about God? What would His list look like? We are BEYOND fortunate that Jesus restored our relationship with God through His shed blood. Yet clearly the action of the cross does not erase the impact of our behavior choices, as Romans 6:2 states "How can we who died as far as sin is concerned go on living in it?". Therefore we need treat our behavior and choices seriously.

Our behavior speaks loudly. Perhaps more loudly that we even realize. Those of us who are parents have an incredible mirror towards our behavior in our children. But there are so many others affected by our behavioral choices. Moment by moment. Conversation by conversation. Email by email. Smile by smile.