A good name is more desirable than great riches; to be esteemed is better than silver or gold. Rich and poor have this in common: The Lord is the Maker of them all.
Proverbs 22:1-2 (NIV)
A Good Name
According to the Forebears website, there are some 859,000 unique surnames in Canada. By far, the most common is Smith, with almost 200,000 Canadians bearing that family name. This is followed by the names Brown, Tremblay, Martin and Roy. As for first names, in 2021 the most popular names given to newborn boys were Noah, Jackson, Liam and Lucas. The most common names given to girls in 2021 were Amelia, Alice, Emma and Isabella.
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It takes a lifetime to earn a good reputation, and it can be demolished in a single act. We have seen that in the lives of people down through history and today. A life of integrity can be ruined in a day. King Solomon noticed this as well, and so wrote in Proverbs 22:1-2: “A good name is more desirable than great riches, to be esteemed is better than silver or gold. Rich and poor have this in common: The Lord is the Maker of them all.” Society emulates those who are strong, or popular, or wealthy, or good looking. We hear so much lately about the Russian oligarchs who live lavish lifestyles while the rest of society suffers. This is in contrast to the Kingdom of God, where the godly are most respected and those with a good name are most highly honoured. God calls us as His people to desire godliness over popularity. When we recognize that we came into this world with nothing and we will leave it the same way, things that have eternal significance come clearly into focus and our lives will be marked by humility. Follower of Jesus, desire a good name over all that the world offers and emulates.
These have been words from the heart.
Bob Beasley