It’s ok. Again, it’s ok.
To take pride in how you present yourself and to take pride in the one you represent. Especially when it’s Jesus Christ. And I’m pretty certain that Jesus wants us to put our best foot forward. I Corinthians 10:31 says, “So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.”
Once we realize that He is ours and we are His, something beautiful and transformative happens on the inside. (“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: the old has gone, the new is here.”) We begin to live our lives out with the desire to please God, not wanting to make him look bad.
I remember when I first started dating my husband, who lives in Fort Myers, FL. His hometown. Which meant that I would be running into a lot of people that he knew. I was originally from Ohio and only had my parents and siblings in Fort Myers, so the number of folks I knew was low. Pretty soon we were engaged then married and even more friends and family members became introduced to me and my first thought that was to be sure I represented my now husband well. I made sure my hair was nice, my outfit choices were appropriate and my manners were on full display. I took pride in in making sure I put my best foot forward. I made sure I represented well the new name I carried.
When you realize you don’t only represent yourself, but represent Christ, how you conduct yourself, what you say, how you speak and even what you wear doesn’t become a task of drudgery, but a way of life to live to please God and represent His kingdom with integrity.
As well when others see that sense of integrity in you and wonder why that’s in you, guess what, you can tell them it has nothing to do with me and everything to do with who I represent. Jesus. It’s all for His glory.
“For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Gentile.” Romans 1:16