If someone is attacking your reputation and character, you come back with all guns blazing, right? Proverbs 22:1 says “A good name is more desirable than great riches; to be esteemed is better than silver or gold.” When your good name is the subject of a smear, you should go out of your way to correct those who mention it, shouldn’t you?
Interesting questions and currently, a subject of great struggle for me. If the character assassination were limited to me personally it would be much easier to deal with but my reputation affects my church and my family as well. Its seems as though I’m letting them down when I don’t confront the incorrect stories but, at the same time, so many before me have managed to ‘turn the other cheek.’
Turning a desire for retribution away is made possible only by spiritual maturity and trust. The question I must ask myself when I feel the anger welling up at the perpetrators is where do I put my trust? Is my faith in my own abilities to correct the situation or in God’s ability to work good from bad? I pray the second but must work with diligence to control the first.
Ecclesiastes wrote (7:1) that “a good name is better than fine perfume, and the day of death better than the day of birth.” Reading on in the passage, he explains this to mean that we learn more from hard times than from good times. This is certainly a truth but that doesn’t make it any easier. The broken parts in me still long to right the situation.
Here is a great post on reputation.
LOVE | ACCEPT | FORGIVE 
Yes, I can fully appreciate this one! My opinion seems to ebb and flow with the circumstances. One day I am infused with love, forgiveness, compassion and I confidently make the hand-off to God when I have been offended. But there are certainly days when I look up, shrug my shoulders, and think “ugh, how do You put up with this?” He gives me strength to put things in their proper perspective, as well as the constant reminder that I am to stand blameless before Him and to leave everyone else to His good justice. Not easy, I know.