Proverbs 22:1
“A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favour rather than silver and gold.”
One of the things people are always interested in is where to make an investment for their retirement. Trying to find the right investment that won’t squander your retirement is a challenge by all. One bad investment and your whole retirement can be gone, and you will be left trying to find a way to make a living for the remainder of your life.
I can remember when I was a teenage boy that many lost their whole retirement because of the stock market crash. People were so distressed over how much they lost that some committed suicide because they saw no hope. Others who were at retirement age were forced to stay employed because they had no other way to make a living.
This is no doubt a sad story, but this pales in comparison to the investment in your name. The verse above says, “A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favour rather than silver and gold.” God is teaching that the greatest investment other than salvation is an investment in your name. Sadly, some have made a bad investment that ruined their name for the remainder of their lives. All it takes is one bad investment to ruin the great investment in your name. I find there are three things that can ruin this investment.
First, your word will make or break the investment in your name. If you become known as one who can’t keep their word, then you will become known as someone who cannot be trusted. Telling the truth all the time must be the rule by which you live. Your name depends upon how much people can trust what you say. If they can’t trust you to pay your bills, then your name is a poor investment. If they can’t trust you to tell the truth at all times, then they will always question what you say. Every time you tell the truth you are investing in your name.
Second, your morality is an investment in your name. All it takes is one act of indiscretion and your name will forever be marred. Many people have lived a moral life the majority of their life, but had one small period where they were immoral and they lost their name forever. Being faithful to your spouse is an investment in your name. Keeping your mind pure is an investment in your name. Being proper with the opposite gender is an investment in your name. Don’t ruin your name for one moment of immoral pleasure.
Third, your disposition is an investment in your name. People will determine what type of person you are by your attitude. You can do everything right, but having a poor attitude will destroy the investment in your name. I’ve known people whose attitude kept them from getting a promotion on their job. Having the right attitude all the time is an investment in your name.
Friend, you can spend your whole life building a good name and lose that investment by messing up in one of these areas. You only have a good name one time. Don’t ever take for granted that one indiscretion in any of these areas won’t hurt that investment. Protect the investment of your name and you will always be one whom people trust and admire.