Glorifying God

I was still unknown by sight to the churches of Judea which were in Christ; but only, they kept hearing, "He who once persecuted us is now preaching the faith which he once tried to destroy." And they were glorifying God because of me. Gal 1:22-24 (NASB) I think today's post will the culmination of several days of challenge, which works since I didn't have the chance to post through the course of the weekend! As I have been working through the first two chapters of Galatians for Sunday school, I've been reminded of the beauty of Paul's testimony. It is not necessarily the actual conversion experience that is so powerful to me, but the effort and attention put into learning after his conversion. But, the biggest thing that stood out to me over the weekend was his reputation. Even before he began the depth of the missions ministries for which he is most famous, people who had never before seen his face were praising God because of what he was doing. What do people think of me? I'm not talking about the people who know me personally. I mean the ones who only know me by reputation. What do they see? What is my reputation? And, what is their response when they hear of me? I definitely want to have a good reputation, but I also am realizing that I want to be careful even with that reputation because I want the right things to flow from it. I want my good reputation to cause people to glorify God because of me. That is my goal. I still have much to learn in regards to making that goal a reality, but that is what I am striving for. Lord, please let them see Your hand and Your work in my life, not accomplishments of my own. Please use my life for Your glory!