Honest Abe.

"Character is like a tree and reputation like its shadow. The shadow is what we think of it; the tree is the real thing. "Abraham Lincoln

It seems that it is possible to spend a great amount of effort and energy living in the shadow of a reputation without the real fruit that grows from a strong, healthy tree.

Think of a story you may have seen on television where someone who has an outstanding reputation in the community is found accused or guilty of some devious crime; good reputation; lousy character.

Reputation and character are not the same thing. Reputation can be real or imagined. It seems that character is the only thing that's real.

Reputation is lived on the surface-- externally.
Character comes from an internal well, whether good or bad.

We are approaching the season of Advent which is a time for me to sit in waiting for the Coming, but perhaps as I sit in waiting I can cease from striving to focus on all the "external" makings of life and my reputation (good or bad) be present to what's developing inwardly.. internally... the place from where I truly live, my character...