A Good Name

A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favor rather than silver and gold.  Proverbs 22:1 

Shakespeare said, “Who steals my purse steals trash; ‘tis something, nothing;’ 

“’Twas mine, ‘tis his, and has been slave to thousands;

But he that filches from me my good name

Robs me of that which not enriches him,

and makes me poor indeed.”

When I was a little girl about 11 or 12, autograph books were very popular, and I carried mine everywhere, and asked my teachers, classmates, and relatives to sign it.  Most of my friends wrote things like: “When you get married and have twins, don’t come to my house for safety pins.”  Or maybe they said, “When you are old and cannot see, Stand on your head and think of me.”  Silly verses, I’ll grant you.

But my dad surprised me and wrote that verse from Proverbs 22 in my autograph book. . . . “A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favor rather than silver and gold.”  He was very proud of being an honest man and a Christian. Even though we didn’t have much, he wanted me to know that I could amount to something if I did the right thing.  He also wanted me to know I could be proud that I was a child of God.  I think that impressed me, because at that point I made up my mind that I wouldn’t ever disappoint my parents if I could help it. And I also resolved to always be a part of God’s family. 

Prayer: Dear God, Thank you for the heritage and influences our parents gave to us. Thank you for our good names. Help us to be proud of our values and to show by our lives what we believe. 

Gerry Draney (reprinted from Daily Devotional Book, November 2008)