A Good Name
“A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favour rather than silver and gold.” (Proverbs 22:1 KJV)
It is better to have a “good name” among men than to have great riches. Respect as a man of integrity is better than fear as a man of wealth. No one respects a wealthy but unethical man, but they may fear him because of the power and influence his money brings. A man without ethics is a man without the loving favor of God. Take Bill Cosby for example. In the past his name was synonymous with wholesomeness and his reputation was squeaky clean. Now that this false image has faded away there is no amount of money that he could pay to have his reputation restored to what it once was. Even if he were to repent and try and do better, his reputation among men will never be what it once was.
Having a “good name” with God, or enjoying His loving favor is something that all the silver and all the gold on Earth still could not buy. One becomes the recipient of God’s loving favor (grace) when he has submitted to God and become obedient to His Word. One will continue in that grace as long as he continues to follow God. Unlike when one ruins their “good name” among men, when one has turned away from God’s loving favor and subsequently repented – they will be back in God’s loving favor completely.
Read Matthew 16:24-28; Isaiah 1:16-20