whatsoever things// OF GOOD REPORT

“Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report, if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.”

~ Philippians 4:8

First, thank you Hannah for the opportunity to write this devotional. It’s a real blessing to be able to be an encouragement to other young ladies, and also to learn more about God and His Word. I’d also like to thank God for helping me to write this, and for giving me a better understanding of what a “good report” actually is! I hope it is a blessing! 

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So, what is good report? It was not until very recently that I actually began to understand through God’s Word what this actually means. God used 1 Timothy 3:7 to show me: “Moreover, he must have a good report of them which are without; lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.” This verse, speaking of God’s requirements for a bishop (pastor), says that he must have a good report of them which are without- “Oh (light bulb!), it’s a testimony! We must seek to have a good testimony, by God’s grace. Don’t worry, this isn’t a rabbit trail- it’s just for the record: we’re supposed to follow our pastors (Heb. 13:7)! If they are required to have a good report among a lost and dying world that needs a Saviour, then so are we. (Do you ever feel like you’re starting to write a sermon, and then realize that you’re not supposed to?)

So, to continue the thought here, there are 5 specific kinds of reports mentioned in the Bible.

1). A good report   2.) A true report   3). An honest report   4). An evil report   5). A false report

These can be put into general categories of good reports and evil reports. Think of a Biblical example of someone with an evil report, and someone with a good report. For an evil report, I thought of Hophni and Phineas- raised in the temple- the “pastor’s kids” if you will! And yet, Eli had to say this to them, because of their rotten testimony: “Nay, my sons; for it is no good report that I hear: ye make the Lord’s people to  transgress.” ~ 1 Samuel 2:24.

For a good report, Enoch came to mind. “By faith, Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God.” ~ Hebrews 11:5.          

So the last thing to say is this: “How is your report looking?” When people think of you, what comes to mind? Now, don’t get me wrong! We don’t want to be going through our daily life with the mindset of “Oh, what is everyone going to think?!!?” Honestly, if we lived every day worrying what other people think, we would never accomplish anything, especially for our Saviour! But we do have to remember that we are ambassadors for Christ, and according to Acts chapter 8 and Matthew 28, we are here to be winning lost souls to Christ. The Bible says in Ephesians 4:5, “Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time.” Them that are without - that’s people who are not saved.

 You and I must seek the Lord’s face every day, and ask Him for the wisdom and grace to have a pure and holy testimony for THAT day, and to think on things of good report.  We have to think about those people in the Bible that walked faithfully with God- they are there for our examples!  Let’s seek to have a good report of our lives, for the honor and glory of God. The world sees enough of their own kind- what they don’t see enough of is Jesus Christ. Think ;) about this! Pray about it!