CD - The Eighth Commandment - Proverbs 31:8-9

The eighth commandment is God’s gift of a good reputation. A person’s reputation is not something that is formed over night. A good reputation is something that a person gains over the years as that person lives a good life, does good things, thinks good thoughts, says good things and the like. Unfortunately, what a person can build up over many years can be knocked down rather quickly, just by one bad judgement in action.

A person’s reputation is gained through what others see in that person. A person’s reputation does not come from others, but from within themselves. A good reputation comes from reflecting the good things that have become a part of a person’s life. Thus, if a person fills himself with good things, and reflects those good things by thinking, speaking, and acting good, then he earns a good reputation. Likewise, a person who fills himself with evil things and reflects those evil things with evil thinking, speaking and acting earns a bad reputation.

For the most part a person can “control” their own reputation, but others can have an influence on what others say and think about someone by what they say about them. The eighth commandments reminds us that it is our responsibility to help keep the good reputation of others. We are to help keep the good reputation of others by not speaking evil of others, betraying, slandering or hurting their reputation. We are also not to reveal their secrets nor do anything that will hurt them. We are not to say evil things about them, even if they are true, for so doing is breaking this commandment.

Instead, we get to help our neighbor to gain a better reputation. We get to defend our neighbor. We get to speak up for and protect our neighbor from false accusations. We get to speak well of our neighbor. We get to praise the good actions and qualities of our neighbor. We get to put the best construction on everything and explain everything in the best way possible. We get to help our neighbor to build an even better reputation.

Who knows (God does certainly)? It might be our words concerning our neighbor that will influence our neighbor to work on his own reputation. It might be our words concerning our neighbor that will encourage others to speak well of our neighbor. It might be our words speaking well of our neighbor that will help others to see what a great God we have, a God who helps us to help others. And as we help our neighbor to gain a good and better reputation our own reputation will certainly be bettered in the process.

Dear Lord, guide me and help me to improve my own reputation as I speak well of my neighbor, putting the best construction on everything and explaining everything in the kindest way, so that above all, Your name may be praised. For Jesus’ sake. Amen.