“Value your good name more than money, approval or fleeting desires and you will grow true riches—wealthy in what matters most.”
Thoughts from daily Bible reading for today – June 6, 2022
A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches, Loving favor rather than silver and gold. Proverbs 22:1, NKJV
What value do you place on your good name? Your reputation? Your integrity? When you look at the balance sheet of your life does your desire for a good name and loving favor from God and others exceed your need for wealth? Your good name is the most valuable asset you have control over. You have an earnest responsibility to hold it in high esteem so the Lord can continue to trust you with His blessings. When you point to God’s fame, He is able to grow your good name.
What does it mean to have a good name? A good name means you are a person of integrity. The meaning of integrity has several facets. One foundational aspect of integrity is your daily surrender to living an integrated life. By faith and in the power of the Holy Spirit, your life is integrated into the life of Christ. Who God says you are, “His beloved child” is who you are. You may even pray out loud, “I am who you say I am!” Your good name is built on God’s good name…on His definition of your belovedness in the Beloved. Each day these words of truth are before me as His beloved child. I look to God’s fame and trust Him to grow my good name.
You Are Beloved
Personally, as my struggle reveals, I don’t often “feel” like a beloved child of God. But I know that that is my most primal identity and I know that I must choose it above and beyond my hesitations. Strong emotions, self-rejection, and even self-hatred justifiably toss you about, but you are free to respond as you will. You are not what others, or even you, think about yourself. You are not what you do. You are not what you have. You are a full member of the human family, having been known before you were conceived and molded in your mother’s womb. In times when you feel bad about yourself, try to choose to remain true to the truth of who you really are. Look in the mirror each day and claim your true identity. Act ahead of your feelings and trust that one day your feelings will match your convictions. Choose now and continue to choose this incredible truth. As a spiritual practice claim and reclaim your primal identity as beloved daughter or son of a personal Creator.
Henri Nouwen
Living an integrated life in Christ is foundational to your good name—your integrity. As you rest in the Lord you move into an experience of introspection—a time to celebrate being loved and to ask Jesus how you are to love. In this moment of honesty and vulnerability you confess your fears and shame, while trusting His good name. Full of the Spirit, secure in your integrity, you move into community for loving accountability and comfort. Love is the best accountability as you do not want to let down those you love. I see this in our four sons-in-laws. Because of their high level of respect and trust of each other, they lovingly call each other out from unwise ways.
Value your good name more than money, approval or fleeting desires and you will grow true riches—wealthy in what matters most. Those who know you the best will feel loved the most. You will make time for those who will attend your funeral, especially the loved ones who sit in the first two rows reserved for family. People with a good name reserve plenty of time for those with their same last name. Your good name points to God’s fame, helping others do the same!
“I will praise You forever, Because You have done it; And in the presence of Your saints I will wait on Your name, for it is good” (Psalm 52:9, NKJV).
Prayer
Heavenly Father, I praise you for being your beloved child, through Christ’s love, and in His name, I pray, amen.
Application
Consider reading the Nouwen quote each morning for 30 days.
Related Reading
Job 2:9; Psalm 7:8; Proverbs 11:3; Matthew 22:16
Worship Resource
Hillsong UNITED: Clean
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