the look of love
It's interesting how certain Bible characters have a bad reputation that influences our perception of them. For example, we forget that "doubting Thomas" is the same disciple who said, let us also go, that we may die with [Jesus] (John 11:16); or that the "sinful woman" was the one who demonstrated her "great love" for Jesus (Luke 6:47); or that King David, who committed adultery and plotted a murder, was called a man after [God's] own heart (1 Samuel 13:14).
The same bad reputation follows the one called the "rich young ruler." He humbly falls on his knees before Jesus, asking what he needs to do to inherit eternal life (Mark 10:17). As Jesus quizzes him about six of the Ten Commandments, the ones having to do with loving others, he tells Jesus that, since he was a boy, he's observed them. When Jesus presses him further, questioning the depth of his love of God and neighbor by asking him to give everything away to the poor, the man goes away sad, because he was indeed rich and didn't want to part with his goods. And so he's forever enshrined as the "rich young ruler", the one who rejected Jesus and, therefore, should be rejected by Jesus for, after all, as Jesus says elsewhere, the one who rejects Me rejects The One Who sent Me (Luke 10:16.)
We forget, however, that Jesus looked at him and Loved him (Mark 10:21). Jesus considers more than his reputation. He looks at the whole person, with a Love that would follow him as he walked away. We don't know the end of the story, but it's very possible that the Love of Jesus won out in the end. Perhaps the man did repent, decided to give away his wealth and reputation, and followed Jesus, as did two other wealthy people, Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea.
So, as we consider the reputation of others, or even of ourselves, let's remember that Jesus also looks at them and us with that same Love which has the Power to turn even the hardest of hearts and to erase even the worst of reputations. And let's join Jesus in practicing that look of Love.