Everybody, what is going on? You know what time it is. You're listening to join the Journey podcast with your host, Emma, daughter.

Thanks for joining. What's your reputation? Do you know what other people would say about you if you weren't in the room?

Every once in a while at our church staff meetings, we talk about competing values.

Two things that seem

good, but also seem to be in opposition to each other. Things like being productive, but also

personable, or efficient but interruptible. Just in forgiving, gentle and firm, transparent, and

discrete. None of those are bad, but sometimes we've got to wrestle with how

the two competing values go hand in hand. And in First Thessalonians 1, Paul speaks a lot about

the Thessalonian's reputation. They've got a good one. I mean, great actually. And as I studied

for this episode and thought about reputation as an idea or concept,

I started to recognize some competing values. As believers, and I mean, especially myself being a

believer who grew up in middle school girl ministry culture, you might have this value that says

we shouldn't care what other people think about us. I mean, Galatians 110, for am I now seeking

the approval of God or of man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of

Christ. Colossians 110 so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him.

And first this two four, we speak not to please man, but to please God who tests our hearts. And as we read those

verses, it seems like prioritizing or caring about a good reputation goes against God's will for us.

We shouldn't care what other people think. But we also read verses like Proverbs 22-1. A good name is to be

desired more than great wealth. Favor is better than silver and gold,

or Ecclesiastity 7-1. A good reputation is more valuable than costly perfume. And regarding

elder qualifications, we read 1 Timothy 3-7. Moreover, he must be well thought of by outsiders.

What are we to make of these seemingly competing ideas? I mean,

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