Prodigal Medic....

Reputation and the consideration of what others think is a quirky thing. I think in so many situations, we are very concerned about our reputation. I also think that, as we buy more and more into the lies that our lives are our own (speaking as a Christian, they aren't), or that our actions need not be compared to any standard of behavior other than what makes us feel good, we try to convince ourselves that we should only live for ourselves because of the fact that we "know ourselves" better than others do.

Reputation and what others think of us is important – to a degree. But, to the degree that it is important, I think more and more of how hugely important it really is. I think that our pride often gets in our way of objectively looking at our own lives and seeing our areas of struggle or our failures. I have seen recently how it is so easy to recklessly dismiss what it is that others say about us because to acknowledge that would mean to acknowledge that we have some stuff in our lives that really needs to be worked on or through. This comes to mind recently after hearing a dear friend tell me that she and her friend are considered by many at work to have huge attitudes and egos. After some other indiscretions recently there are new obstacles for her to deal with. Speaking to her, this obviously hurts her deeply. The saddest part though is that instead of learning from it, or using that pain from those things as a warning sign, I instead see her steeling and insulating herself even further from her because she feels instead like they are judging her unfairly.

The fact of the matter though is that at times like this, when people are speak unkindly of us, it might be worth it, in an objective way, to evaluate what they are saying. What if it's true? It very well may just be petty spite and jealousy. Maybe the thing to do is to find someone who can be more objective than we can, who can filter more clearly our behaviors and actions not only through our own rose covered glasses, but someone who can also protect us from the hurtful words of those that seek to do us ill. I truly believe that our reputations are worth protecting. No matter how much money we have, no matter how good looking we are, no matter our place in life or what challenges we face, we should, as followers and students of the life of Jesus, be able to be spoken of and defined by our attitudes, just not our "attitudes," if that makes any sense. We should be spoken of and defined by our attitudes of grace, self-control, sacrifice, humility, service and love, especially for those that don't deserve it and that have the least.

Definitely something to think about in this day and age that tells us over and over again that our fierce individualism is all that we need to make it through life.