7 He must also have a good reputation with outsiders, so that he will not fall into disgrace and into the devil’s trap.
Paul is not talking about all outsiders being in love with the message being preached and running to become Jesus-followers. He is talking about avoiding the stink of hypocrisy. I remember a pastor telling a furniture vendor that God would bless them if they reduced the price. Then when the bill came due he paid it late, not because the church did not have the funds, but because “they can afford it.” After a while, no vendors wanted to do business with the church because of this hypocrisy. Churches should be the first to pay their bills! This principle is especially true for leaders. Our words and our actions need to match the message of holiness and integrity of our God. If a leader is perceived as insincere, outsiders will never be willing to hear the message. Double standards are not acceptable! Aren’t outsiders the ones we are to be reaching? If we lose our voice because of our hypocrisy we lose our effectiveness as Jesus-followers. We can’t fulfill our mission. Scandals have rocked the reputation of the church, and helped silence our voice in the public square. The church is still seen as part of the solution to human problems, but it is now viewed with more skepticism around our motives for what we do. There are few things of greater value than a good reputation. Once it is lost, it is almost impossible to regain. That is why it is so important to not lose it. Satan wants us to lose it, so let’s not give him his wish. Again, this lesson on reputation is aimed directly at church leaders, but it applies to all of our lives. None of us can afford to have a bad reputation with outsiders. Having just recently purchased another house, I know what a good reputation can do. Our credit score is one measure of that reputation. If it is high, you can easily get a loan. Creditors trust you because you have paid you bills on time in the past, you have enough income to cover your expenses and you don’t have too many bills compared to your income. Jesus said where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Do people readily come to you for help or a listening ear? Do people tune you out when you talk, because you talk too much? Do the things you own possess you, or do you possess them? Are you a good steward of the blessings of God in your life, or would your junk piles tell another story. These are all reputational issues. They measure one area of our character. Paul says our reputation in important. Let’s work to keep them clean.