What is a man’s or woman’s greatest asset? Is it beauty? Is it wealth? Is it charm or is it a prestigious job or title? All of those are great assets – but the greatest asset a person can have is a name. Not just a name, but a good name. Your name has value because when it is called, people immediately welcome you or dismiss you. It takes years to build a good name but only a moment to lose it. Your name is to be guarded and treasured because it can determine your destiny. The Book of Proverbs paints a vivid picture of what a good name means.
Proverbs 22: 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. The prudent see danger and take refuge, but the simple keep going and pay the penalty. Humility is the fear of the Lord; its wages are riches and honor and life. In the paths of the wicked are snares and pitfalls, but those who would preserve their life stay far from them.
In the world we live in today, losing a good name is sometimes just a click away or a fake news story away. In the past, it took something drastic happening and being reported in the national media to ruin someone – but in the digital world, someone can make up a fake story and post it, and the unsuspecting public along with the social media hounds who are salivating for something negative or salacious, can bring down a person.
Your good name could be gone in 60 seconds – sometimes costing you a job, an important position, your reputation or even your life. Why am I saying this? To ensure you are alert to guard your name jealously. Be careful and purposeful about what you say and do because one slip can cause your value to evaporate. I am always thankful that through the grace of God and diligence, I was able to build a name that when spoken, carries a positive connotation to most, especially those who take an honest look at what I have done over the years.
The problem with a good name is that it is much harder to restore when it is lost. You have to work twice as hard to get back what you had previously achieved. This is not only true for individuals, it is also true for a country. As a nation, we have to guard our name and heritage because when the world perceives you in a certain way, it can diminish your value. If we are known as a hospitable and friendly people, our value goes up. If we are known as a crime-ridden, unfriendly, corrupt state – our value goes down, affecting the well-being of the entire nation.
How does one build a good name and keep a good name? There are two important words that give your name value more than any others: integrity and character. When we hear the word integrated, it implies something tied into or built into something. If you have an integrated electronic device, it means everything is in one unit. Integrity means as a person, you are one with your word, your actions and your values; there is no dissonance. Character means that you are consistent whether people are watching or not watching. True character means your values are so integrated and well-known that if you violate them, people will say you were acting “out of character”. So, my advice, both individually and nationally, is to be mindful of the value of your name and to protect it as if it is what the Bible admonishes; worth more than riches, more than silver and gold.
• Pastor Dave Burrows is senior pastor at Bahamas Faith Ministries International. Feel free to email comments, whether you agree or disagree, to pastordaveburrows@hotmail.com. I appreciate your input and dialogue. We become better when we discuss, examine and exchange.
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