“Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven” (Matt 5:19).

Henry Ford once said, “You can’t build a reputation on what you’re going to do.”

We all have a reputation in the eyes of the world. Your reputation was built on what you did and will depend on what you continue to do.

You know that it takes years to build up a good reputation and only minutes to earn a bad one.

But did you know that you also have a reputation before God? And did you know that God will make the final decision of what your reputation will be forever?

We often talk about the rewards of ruling with Christ or getting a crown or eating at a wedding feast, but have you ever considered that another reward concerns your reputation in the kingdom? Your reputation in the next life depends upon your faithfulness to Christ in this one. As Michael Eaton comments on Matt 5:19:

Depending on their attitude to the demands of the Scripture, fulfilled and then upgraded by Jesus, the disciples would be “called the least” or “called great” in the kingdom of heaven. The important word is “called.” Part of the reward of faithfulness in the kingdom is one’s eventual reputation. Jesus was, for his obedience, given a name above every name. He was called “Lord” in a greater way than ever. Abraham’s inheritance included the promise, “I shall make your name great.” Our reputation, our name, what we are “called”—will be part of our eternal reward (Eaton, The Way that Leads to Life, p. 61).