“A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches,
and favor is better than silver or gold.”
Proverbs 22:1 ESV
In every age and in every culture, a person’s name has been important. Whether names signify characteristics of the person or the family or if they have been passed down from one generation to another, the mention of a name can stir praise or shame.
For those of us who follow Christ, our names carry double meaning. As our character is tested and shaped and we prove to be trustworthy, the mention of our names will bring smiles to people’s faces. But as believers, influence or character doesn’t stop with “Jones” or “Smith” or “Kosnowski.” We are children of the King, with a royal heritage and noble lineage. The God of the Universe calls us His own. He created us, and He bought us back from slavery to sin.
Nothing–absolutely nothing–is more important than our names as God’s beloved children. Riches will end, fame will fade, and possessions will rust and rot, but the “loving favor” of God will last for eternity.
What names do we call ourselves, especially when we’ve done something we’re not proud of? Those angry declarations may express our emotions at the moment, but they aren’t the truth about who we are in the eyes of God–and that’s the most important truth of all.
Questions for you to answer:
How well are you earning a good reputation and a good name among your peers?
What names do you call yourself when you’ve failed? What’s the real truth about your identity?
Ike Reighard once stated, “Paint the picture of your life with godly decisions and you will never be ashamed to attach your signature to the portrait you create.”
Zig Ziglar
Daily Insights
The great American businessman and entrepreneur, Mr. Andrew Carnegie once stated, while he was discussing the most valuable assets any man has, said that from his personal knowledge and experience that a man’s name and the value of it are the two greatest assets that he will ever possess. Now think about that for a moment…what are your own two greatest assets?
Your name, if you ever plan to become successful, must carry with it respect, a good degree of honesty and integrity, recognition, and trust worthiness….does it?
Reputation and Character are the two most important personal character traits that are displayed to all those people around you whom you influence and impact. Good men and women, those filled with honesty and integrity, will never maintain long term relationships with other people whom they do not care for, respect, trust, and love. A good reputation is earned. A good character is developed. Both of these personal attributes take lots of time, energy, commitment, and experience before they ever rise to the surface of your own life where all can see. When people know who you really are because of the manner and way you have lived your life, and they know full well how you are conducting your own life as witnessed by the way you think, speak, live, and act, then will they be attracted to you and want to be with and around you.
Leadership is nothing more than influence on or in another person’s life.
The greatest leader who ever lived on this earth was and continues to be the Lord Jesus Christ. The Bible calls Him the King of Kings,…and the Lord of Lord’s. And once a person has invited Christ into their hearts to become their personal Lord and Savior,…once they become “Born-Again,” they then become children of the King. They are in essence, Royalty…the son or daughter of the King! From that point forward they are and will remain a member of the royal family of God…their name “Christian” fully identifies who they are,…and where they are going to go with their lives, both here on earth and in eternity beyond this life.
Do you conduct yourself as a member of the royal family? Do your thoughts, deeds, words, and actions clearly identify you as a committed follower of the Lord Jesus Christ? I certainly hope that they do.
Any true believer in Jesus readily stands out in any crowd of people. There is just something different about them as compared to any nonbeliever. They wear a smile. Their eyes sparkle. They are not always being offended even when the are verbally or physically abused. They are considerate of others and they possess emotional stability. Pause for a moment and self test. How do you stack up?
Whenever your actions speak louder than your words everyone observing you knows just what kind and type of a person you really are. Always remember you attract to you in life that which you are,…not that which you want!
God’s Greatest Blessings to All of You…………………