A Washington Post article from February 9, 2016 reads, “Assault with a deadly weapon: Florida man charged with throwing alligator into Wendy’s.” If you are not yet familiar, let me introduce you to Florida Man. No, I’m not talking about myself. I’m referring to the phrase that seems to continuously pop up in news articles every other week. Each time you hear the phrase, “Florida man,” you know you are in for a story that is crazier than the last. No one has a reputation quite like Florida Man.
A reputation is a very important thing, especially to a Christian. A good reputation can equip us to reach a great number of souls and a poor reputation can drive them away. Our reputation tells others what kind of men we are. What does your reputation say about you?
When David handed the throne over the Solomon, he told him that he needed to prove himself to be a man (1 Kgs. 2:2). He said, “Keep the charge of the LORD your God: to walk in His ways, to keep His statutes, His commandments, His judgments, and His testimonies, as it is written in the Law of Moses, that you may prosper in all that you do and wherever you turn.”
If Solomon wants to be a good man, then there are some things he needs to do. He needs to understand God’s purpose for him, behave according to God’s will, and remain obedient to God’s law. Solomon would stay faithful to his father’s words for a while, but eventually, he lost his way.
As early as 1 Kings 3:1, Solomon broke the law (Deut. 7:3) by marrying the Pharaoh’s daughter. His desire for foreign women grew even stronger by 1 Kings 11:1-2. By verse 4, it revealed that his hundreds of pagan wives turned his heart from God and toward idols. Because of his betrayal, God took the northern kingdom from his son (1 Kgs. 11:31-33).
What kind of man did Solomon prove himself to be? He was certainly not the man his father David expected him to be. Instead of seeking to please God, he filled his own desires. Despite all the wisdom God bestowed upon him, he did not behave as God expected him to. Instead of heeding God’s commands, he turned from the Lord and worshipped false idols. What kind of man are you? If you say you are a Christian, does your reputation reflect Christ? Are you walking the walk or just talking the talk? If our lives have not been transformed into the image of Christ, we do not have the right to call ourselves Christians. It’s time to prove ourselves. “Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong” (1 Cor. 16:13, ESV)
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