- Sermon Notes
- Scripture
- Spanish Translation
The Wisdom Choosing a Good Name
Proverbs 22:1-11
November 16-17, 2024
“What’s in a name?” It was William Shakespeare who made those words immortal. Romeo and Juliet fall deeply in love at first sight though they come from feuding, enemy families; Romeo a Montague, Juliet a Capulet.
Shakespeare meant to convey the thought that the name of things is irrelevant. “What’s in a name? Juliet says, “that which we call a rose, by any other name, would smell just as sweet.” What she meant is, “Why do you have to be a Montague? What’s in a name? It’s only because of that name that I’m supposed to be your enemy.”
“Romeo, doff thy name! And for that name which is no part of thee; Take all of myself.”
What’s in a name? you ask. God has a different answer. When you were born, you had no say in the matter of your name. Parents choose a name for their children for different reasons. Some are named after their father or another relative. In biblical times, parents would sometimes name a child for something they did.
Jacob was born immediately after his twin brother Esau, but was holding onto Esau’s heel, so they named him, “heel snatcher.” His brother Esau was born covered in red hair, so his parents said, “I know, let’s call him Hairy.”
But names have meaning. Unfortunately, Jacob, or “heel snatcher” can also mean, ‘one who trips up another.’ And that’s who Jacob became, someone who takes advantage of others through conniving and tripping up another.
And although you had no say in the matter of the name given to you at birth, you do have a say in what that name means when it comes to the content of your character, the integrity of your soul and your reputation.
“A good name is better to be chosen than great riches,” are the opening words of this proverb. It’s filled with deep and rich insight into the value of your name and all that it represents.
You have a say in the content of your character. Those who honor God and seek godly wisdom and desire to live their lives by that godly wisdom have chosen a good name.
I. A Good Name is Better than Great Riches
- Names are important. Names have meaning.
Proverbs 18:10, The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous runs into it and is safe.
- In modern Israel, Jews today referred to God as “Hashem.” In Hebrew, it means, ‘the name.’
- It is a respectful way to refer to God, as Jews traditionally avoid directly saying His name, which is considered by Jews to be too holy to pronounce. How great is His name.
- The name of God is a strong tower to which the righteous run in times of trouble. They run to the name of God because the names of God describe His character and His nature.
- Jehovah Jireh, “The Lord will provide.”Jehovah Rapha, “The Lord who heals.”
- Jehovah Nissi, “The Lord our banner.”
- Jehovah Shalom, “The Lord our peace.”
- Jehovah Tsidkenu, “The Lord our righteousness.”
- Jehovah Rochee, “The Lord our shepherd.”
- El Elyon, “God Most High.”
- El Gibhor, “The Almighty God.”
- Jehovah, Yahweh, “All that I am, I am to you.”
- Your good name is the content of your character that comes from your relationship to God.
A. A good name can be chosen
- Choosing a good name begins by choosing to honor and revere God.
- The path of life, the course you choose to walk determines the content of your character. When you honor God in how you conduct the affairs of your life, God will give you a good name.
- One of the best examples of that in the bible would be Job. It says of him that he was upright, fearing God and turning away from evil. As a result, God gave him a name was that was honored and revered by those around him.
Job 23:11-12, “My foot has held fast to His path; I have kept His way and not turned aside. I have not departed from the command of His lips; I have treasured the words of His mouth more than my necessary food.”
- Job delighted in the Almighty, he treasured God’s word more than his necessary food. God built in him the construct of integrity, of wisdom, and of stature. It was the posts, the beams, the steel, the rocks of the strength of his integrity and the character of his soul. God built that in Job because Job delighted in the Almighty.
- And the result was something everyone could see, and they honored him. He had chosen a good name. The name of Job had meaning.
Job 29:7-11, “When I went out to the gate of the city, when I took my seat in the square; young man saw me and hid themselves, old men rose and stood on their feet. Princes stopped talking, the voice of nobles was hushed, and when the ear heard, it called me blessed.”
- This is the work of God in the soul when God builds in you the construct of integrity. When He pours wisdom and stature into your life. It becomes the posts, the beams, the steel, the rocks of the strength of your integrity and the character of your soul. God will build that when you delight in the Almighty.
- God will give you a good name because you chose to honor God.
- That is the covenant God wants you to make with your soul; that you value what God is building and that you treasure that beautiful work on the soul more than your necessary food.
B. God’s favor is a great treasure
- Verse 1 – “a good name is more to be desired than great riches, favor is better than silver and gold.”
- God’s favor is of great value, it is the greatest treasure of the soul. You can rely on the favor of God when you revere His name.
- Riches, however, are a false hope on which you cannot rely.
Proverbs 18:10-11, The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous runs into it and is safe… A rich man’s wealth is his strong city and like a high wall – – in his own imagination.
- Jesus described it is as, “the deceitfulness of riches,” which suggests that riches will not deliver what they promise.
- Many people assume that riches will bring more security, more contentment, more joy and more satisfaction in life. It supposedly gives them purpose and meaning; but it also chokes out the Word of God.
- Jesus said that the Word of God is sown on different types of hearts, like they were different types of soils. At one point, Jesus said…
Luke 8:14, “The seed which fell among the thorns, these are the ones who have heard, and as they go on their way they are choked with worries and riches and pleasures of this life and bring no fruit to maturity.”
- Notice verse 2 – The rich and the poor have a common bond, the Lord is the maker of them all.
- In other words, God shows no partiality. The rich and the poor, the Lord is the maker of them all; each one is made in the image of God; each one must choose the riches of a good name and the favor of God.
C. God rewards those who honor Him
- Verse 4 – The reward of humility and the reverence of the Lord… Are riches, honor, and life.
- Wait. Riches, honor, and life are the reward of humility and reverence for the Lord?
- Riches are a false hope. We read in the Psalms that it is those who honor God who are truly happy, a deep residing peace has settled on their soul. Something beautiful happens in the soul of the one who honors God first and foremost.
- Those who honor the name of the Lord are not just blessed in the soul, but also in life. In other words, it’s a blessing that comes back to you.
Psalm 112:1, 3-4,9, How blessed is the man who reveres the Lord, who greatly delights in His commands… Wealth and riches are in his house, and his righteousness endures forever… He is gracious and compassionate and righteous… He gives freely to the poor; and his horn will be exalted in honor.
- There are those who seek wealth and riches above all things; it is their greatest desire. Why? Because they think that wealth and riches will make them happy. They have missed the point entirely.
- But the true wealth of a man is not measured by his possessions or the value of his financial accounts, the true wealth of a man is measured by his spiritual stature, and by the spiritual riches contained in his character.
- I can prove it to you. If you desired to leave a posterity to your children, which would benefit them more – godly character or heaps of gold and silver? Gold and silver without godly character will destroy your children. Godly character will give them a foundation that will reap benefits for the rest of their lives.
- The one whose soul is filled with God’s glory and delights in God’s presence in his life is already spiritually wealthy. And he has the right understanding of the things of this earth – they are not enough to satisfy the soul.
Psalm 62:10, If riches increase, do not set your heart upon them. - The pleasant things of the world are certainly pleasant. We live in a time of great abundance. Solomon in all his glory did not have microwave kettle corn, or Nacho Doritos, or caramel macchiatos.
- But the pleasant things of the world are not enough to satisfy what the soul desires. I desire more. My heart desires higher things; greater things. My soul desires to drink from the river of God’s delight, my soul is satisfied by the Bread of Life. I want glory that comes from God.
II. Guard Your Good Name and Run from Evil
- Verse 3 – The prudent sees the evil and hides himself, but the naïve go on, and are punished for it.
- Evil will destroy your good name.
- What takes years to build can be destroyed in a matter of minutes… From one foolish decision.
A. The prudent can discern evil
- The prudent sees and discerns – and by wisdom – can predict the outcome of evil so he hides himself.
- The naïve, the simple, do not discern, they cannot see the danger. They cannot predict the outcome, and they run straight toward the evil.
- Verse 5 – Thorns and snares are in the way of the perverse; he who guards himself will be far from them.
- Verse 8 – He who sows iniquity will reap vanity.
Proverbs 14:15-16, A prudent man considers his steps. A wise man is cautious and turns away from evil, but a fool is arrogant and careless.
- The word ‘cautious’ in Hebrew is actually the word, ‘fear.’ A wise man fears evil.
- Really? A wise man is afraid? Of this, he is. Because a wise man knows the power, the destructive power, of evil, and he stays clear of the thing.
- That thing will destroy you. That thing will consume you. The wise man knows the destructive power of evil because he is wise. He has insight to see. He knows what the arrogant and the fool does not know.
- The fool is arrogant and careless – he doesn’t care. He boldly walks where angels fear to tread.
- Why so careless? Because his arrogance blinds him. He doesn’t see the destructive power of evil, that it will destroy you. This thing will consume you; this thing will drain your spiritual life; it will reduce you to a loaf of bread. Are you not afraid of that? You ought to be.
- It’s not to be trifled with. Evil is not to be trifled with, and a wise man knows it. He will not walk in the fields of the enemy; he will walk in the path of the righteous. A wise man is cautious and discerning and runs from evil.
B. Teach this to your children
- Verse 6 – “Train up a child in the way he should go, even when he is old, he will not depart from it.”
- This verse is quoted often, but it’s important to see it in its context. If you love your child, then train up your child to choose a good name; to know that a good name is more desired than great riches, that the favor of God is more valuable than silver and gold.
- Train your child to know that evil is not to be trifled with; that the one who is prudent has the discernment to see the evil and hides himself from it.
- Vs 11 – He who loves purity of heart and whose speech is gracious, the king is his friend.
- What a grand finale to the message; those who choose a good name more than great riches, love purity of heart – and the King of all the earth is your friend.
Proverbs 22:1-11 NASB
22 1A good name is to be more desired than great wealth,
Favor is better than silver and gold.
2 The rich and the poor have a common bond,
The Lord is the maker of them all.
3 The prudent sees the evil and hides himself,
But the naive go on, and are punished for it.
4 The reward of humility and the fear of the Lord
Are riches, honor and life.
5 Thorns and snares are in the way of the perverse;
He who guards himself will be far from them.
6 Train up a child in the way he should go,
Even when he is old he will not depart from it.
7 The rich rules over the poor,
And the borrower becomes the lender’s slave.
8 He who sows iniquity will reap vanity,
And the rod of his fury will perish.
9 He who is generous will be blessed,
For he gives some of his food to the poor.
10 Drive out the scoffer, and contention will go out,
Even strife and dishonor will cease.
11 He who loves purity of heart
And whose speech is gracious, the king is his friend.
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