在就讀佛羅里達州立大學期間，查理．沃德（Charlie Ward）是一名雙棲學生運動員。1993年，這位年輕的四分衛以全國最頂尖大學的美式橄欖球運動員的身分，贏得了海斯曼獎杯，而他同時也是籃球隊的明星球員。

有一天，在籃球賽前的談話中，他的籃球教練在叮囑球員時使用了粗言穢語。這位教練注意到查理不太自在，就問：「查理，怎麼了？」查理說：「教練，你知道嗎？橄欖球教練鮑登不說粗話，還是可以讓我們努力投入球賽。」

查理擁有基督般的品格，讓他能溫和地與籃球教練談論這個問題。後來，這名教練告訴記者，每當他與查理交談的時候，感覺自己就像是被一個天使盯著。

要忠心地為基督作見證，在非信徒當中保持好名聲並不容易，但基督徒能在耶穌的幫助和引導下變得更像祂。在提多書第2章，保羅勸勉年輕人及所有的信徒，要「自律」，「要純全，要莊重⋯⋯言詞要純正，無可指摘」（6-8節，新譯本）。

當我們倚靠基督的能力過這樣的生活時，不僅能榮耀祂，還能建立好名聲。如此一來，人們也會願意聆聽我們靠著上帝的智慧所傳講的話語。

During his college days at Florida State University, Charlie Ward was a two-sport student athlete. In 1993, the young quarterback won the Heisman Trophy as the country’s best college American football player, and he also starred on the basketball team.

During a pregame talk one day, his basketball coach used some foul language as he talked to his players. He noticed that Charlie “wasn’t comfortable,” and said, “Charlie, what’s up?” Ward said, “Coach, you know, Coach Bowden [the football coach] doesn’t use that kind of language, and he gets us to play awfully hard.”

Charlie’s Christlike character allowed him to gently speak to his basketball coach about this issue. In fact, the coach told a reporter: “It’s almost as if there was an angel looking at you” when he talked to Charlie.

A good reputation with unbelievers and a faithful witness for Christ are hard to maintain. But at the same time, believers in Jesus can grow to be more like Him as He helps and guides us. In Titus 2, younger men, and by extension all believers, are called to “be self-controlled” (v. 6) and to “show integrity . . . and soundness of speech that cannot be condemned” (vv. 7-8).

When we live that way in Christ’s strength, we’ll not only honor Him but also build a good reputation. Then as God provides the wisdom we need, people will have reason to hear what we say.