“And I was still unknown in person to the churches of Judea that are in Christ. They only were hearing it said, “He who used to persecute us is now preaching the faith he once tried to destroy.” And they glorified God because of me.” Galatians 1:22 – 24

It’s safe to say that the Apostle Paul was a man who became “mega-changed” through meeting Christ. And the story got around about the dramatic changes in his life. It was a big story because he had indeed experienced big change. He went from being a Christ Denier and a Church Destroyer to a Christ Preacher and a Church Planter. With such a hostile history toward God replaced by such a committed one, his story naturally preceded him wherever he went.

What about you and I as Christ Followers? Does our story precede us wherever we go among those who don’t yet know Christ? Do we have a reputation for being committed to Christ? Serious? Dedicated?

You might object that not all of us have had such a dramatic change in our lives as Paul did. In fact, it’s true that many of us have known Christ from an early age in life and pretty much “grown-up Christian”, with the beliefs and lifestyle that go with it. Well, it may be true that we all may not have a dramatic conversion, but we all should have a distinct dedication to Jesus. A dedication that lets our reputation go before us. I think that’s what people talked about regarding Paul. It wasn’t necessarily the dramatically wicked life he had before, but the passionate love for Christ he had after. It was his dedication that truly impressed them. And that’s something that we all have a chance for others to talk about regarding our lives. People ought to observe our lives as Christ Followers and see a unique dedication to trusting and obeying Jesus in many domains of our lives. It ought to show up in how we love our families, and how we handle the stresses and challenges of the workplace. It ought to be seen in the way that we raise our children and in the vision we have for them. And it ought to downright shine in the way that we calmly and humbly face hard times. It’s a story that we can write in the words of others as they watch us and wonder.

What kind of reputation is proceeding you today, Christ Follower?