Rolf Degen on Twitter

This is fascinating, and confirms what most of us know to be instinctively true. It’s why pushing through the ‘pain barrier’ of caring what others think of you is so important and so liberating. “The fear of man is a snare” (Proverbs 28v25). I’m not fully there yet, but have made a number of conscious decisions over the last couple of years to nail my colours to the mast on certain subjects and hang the consequences. Would rather be a person of character than of reputation:

“Reputation is what you are supposed to be.
Character is what you are.

Reputation is a photograph.
Character is your face.

Reputation is what you have when you come to a new place.
Character is what you have when you go away.

Reputation is learned in an hour.
Character does not come to light for years.

Reputation is made in a moment.
Character is built in a lifetime.

Reputation grows like a mushroom.
Character grows like an oak.

Reputation is made from a single newspaper report.
Character is built from a life of toil.

Reputation makes you rich or poor.
Character makes you happy or miserable.

Reputation is what men say about you on your tombstone.
Character is what the angels say about you around the throne of God.”