A Good Name

"A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches,
Loving favor rather than silver and gold."
 Proverbs 22:1 (NKJV)
When you think about how many hours of our lives is spent in the workplace, it’s astounding.  The average person will spend over 10 years of their life at work.  That’s 90,000 hours!  Why?  Because “we need to earn a living”.  So much of our life is spent making money.

As much time and effort as we spend in making money, this proverb points out that there is something even greater to be desired.  Yes, even that above riches – a good name.  Have you considered what kind of a name you have?  Keep in mind that a good name is not how you describe yourself.  We are all pretty good at patting ourselves on the back, but rather a good name is defined by others as they observe your life.  You might think you’re doing a pretty good job…until you ask you husband/wife, or child how they think you’re doing.  By the way, if you ever ask them that question, be prepared for an answer that might be hard to hear.  But really, there is only one person’s opinion of us that we should be concerned about and that’s God’s.  Do we represent Him correctly in the workplace, at home, and abroad?  Are we like Job as God describes him in Job 1:8 – “…My servant Job… there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, one who fears God and shuns evil?”  What a reputation!  This compliment is coming from God Himself.  Can the same be said of us?  Are we truly God’s servant or are we only concerned with serving ourselves?  Are we blameless people who shun evil or are we full of dark secrets with skeletons in the closet?
 
Why is a good name to be chosen above great riches?  Because a person can be rich, but still be bankrupt.  A person can be rich, but lonely.  A person can be rich, but not well liked.  A person can rich, but not be counted among the friends of God.

Beware of the love of money.  1 Timothy 6:10 says that the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil.  Money is only temporary, and, in the end, it will leave you empty.  But a good name is something that lasts even into eternity.  Before God each one will receive rewards based on their impact in others lives for the kingdom of God.
 
I pray each of you will be rich in God by having a good name, not just in this life, but in that which is to come.
 
Anchored in Christ,
 Aaron R. Force

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