Bunbury
Wed pm
22/06/11
“The investment of a good name”
Intro: *** In today’s West Australian N/p carried a story about Australia’s most trusted person. Fiona Stanley has been rated as the most trusted person in Australia topping the list of 100 celebrity, sporting & public figures. Professor Fiona Stanley has been honoured by having W.A.’s newest hospital named after her. At # 3. Another Professor – Fiona Wood was named most trusted Australian of the year last year.
The article went on to say that PM Julia Gillard came in at # 97, down from # 78 last year followed by Tony Abbott who came in at # 98.
I got to thinking about the entire concept of trust.
How vital it is to our daily living & how it is b/co a rarer virtue in the days in which we are living.
But in a world that is b/co increasingly untrustworthy God calls us to be people that can be trusted.
The Bible has a quite a lot to say about this & this is going to be our focus tonight.
I want to preach a message called ‘The investment of a good name’.
Text: Proverbs 22:1 (NKJV) 1A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches, Loving favor rather than silver and gold.
# 1. The choice of reputation.
A. A reputation is a choice.
a. Think about how valuable a reputation is.
i. There is more that hangs on reputation than we would think ……. Consider this for a moment.
*** Think about these names: VW, Ford, KIA, Mercedes Benz, Daewoo, Honda, BMW, Hyundai.
Now if money was not a concern & all these vehicles were available to you all you had to do was make a choice, which one would you choose?
Why would you choose the vehicle you chose?
More than anything it’s b/c w/ everyone of those vehicle brand names there is also an accompanying reputation – right?
ii. Reputations mean something ……. What they mean more than anything else is that you can trust one product more than another.
iii. One product will be reliable, trustworthy & the other is going to either let you down or you aren’t going to get your money’s worth out of it.
iv. Anyone w/ any sense will choose a product w/ a reliable reputation & a good name …… b/c in so doing you are also choosing peace of mind!
b. Now the Bible tells us that a reputation is something that we choose.
i. Thankfully it’s not just something that is pinned on us at birth or when we go to school …..it’s something that we make a choice about.
ii. Look at our text tonight ….
Vs 1. 1A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches,……
iii. All through life we are making a choice about the reputation we are going to carry through life w/ us.
B. Now let’s think about your name.
a. B/c cars, washing machines, computers & clothes & material goods are not the only things that have a reputation pinned on them – so does your name!
i. Your name has a reputation attached to it & that reputation has been established as a result of words / actions / decisions / behaviour & attitude.
ii. In general the reputation that has been pinned on you has been established by the kind of life that you’ve led.
iii. What your name means to other people depends on the kind of name you have chosen to have.
Vs 1. 1A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches,……
*** An interesting point of the article in today’s paper about Australia’s most trusted people was that the last two, the most distrusted people on the list were 2 sportsmen: Brendan Fevola, AFL’s drunken, unfaithful bad boy & Shane Warne the Philandering cricketer who can’t keep his pants zipped!
The facts are plain & simple – we don’t trust these men b/c of the kind of lives they’ve lived!
iv. The question is – what do people say about your name?
# 2. The making of a name.
A. The question we want to ask is how do we get a good name?
a. The fact is that reputation / good name is something that is built / developed as we give heed to the impt issues of life.
i. What we are talking about here more than anything else is the good character of a man / woman.
ii. Good character is not an accident it is something we commit our/s to through the difficult decisions / challenges of life.
iii. But what’s really impt is for us to realise that good character doesn’t come free – a price has to be paid.
iv. Think about some of the things that build good character.
b. First of all good character is the product of consistently righteous behaviour.
i. There is great value in you committing y/s to being a person who is continually being found doing the right thing.
ii. Daniel is a powerful example of a consistently righteous lifestyle.
Daniel 6:10 (NKJV) 10Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went home. And in his upper room, with his windows open toward Jerusalem, he knelt down on his knees three times that day, and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as was his custom since early days.
iii. Even when his life was under threat Daniel could be found doing the right thing every day.
iv. One of the great dangers we face in the Christian life is that we would be fair weather Christians …. Only doing what’s right when it was convenient!
Matthew 24:45-46 (NKJV) 45“Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his master made ruler over his household, to give them food in due season? 46Blessed is that servant whom his master, when he comes, will find so doing.
c. Good character doesn’t give in to the lower nature.
i. Good character doesn’t give in to appetites of the flesh.
*** The main reason why people don’t stick to diets is b/c of the fact that powerful appetites have been developed in them over the years. It’s those appetites that sabotage their efforts to diet & lose weight.
ii. Appetites – we all have them for carnal / questionable / unsavoury / shady / unholy things.
iii. If you want to build a good character you’re going to have to deal w/ your appetites….. good character is a result of right living.
d. Good character comes by being a man / woman that can’t be bought.
i. It has been suggested that Judas was probably the treasurer b/c he was the best suited to taking care of the finances.
ii. There’s no question about his ability …… the question w/ Judas was about his integrity, he was a man who could be bought!
Matthew 26:15 (NKJV) …… And they counted out to him thirty pieces of silver.
*** I was told about a man who was the song leader in the Nadi church when the missionary pastor Bob Montoya was in Nadi. Ps Montoya went to the airport one day to pick up a visiting pastor & while he was there saw his song leader at the airport. When he asked him why he was there the song leader told him that he was on his way to migrate to New Zealand!
e. Good character comes by trafficking in honesty.
i. A man / woman of good character isn’t always shading the truth w/ deceptions.
ii. There’s something solid about a man of good character ….. what they say is what they mean & what they believe & what they practice.
iii. In other words w/ a man / woman of good character you aren’t going to find out at some later stage that they didn’t tell you the whole truth!
*** I was impressed by a young woman whom I have known since she was a baby who broke off an engagement w/ a young man b/c of the fact that he showed signs of shading the truth. Here’s a young woman who is willing to go through the pain of a broken engagement rather than an entire married life w/ a man who shades the truth & has deception as one of the tools of his trade.
iv. You need to realise that there is no substitute for truth telling – if you lie or deceive people won’t trust you!!!
v. You may also discover one day that b/c of such a history of lying that people are no longer willing to trust you.
*** I remember sitting down telling a man in my church one day …..brother, you’ve lied so many times that now no one knows when you’re really telling the truth & they just aren’t willing to believe you anymore.
B. One thing is certain about the making of a good character – it’s going to take time.
a. Trust doesn’t come in five minutes.
i. It’s a process where people will watch, wait & test you to see if you are someone who can be trusted.
ii. You’re going to have to be willing to labour for extended periods of time w/o seemingly any rewards for doing what is right.
iii. Trust in good character is something that will take time to mature / come to fullness.
iv. You’ll find y/s one day for no particular reason having people say to you …… I trust you!
b. Are you willing to serve the trust apprenticeship?
i. For some it is too much to ask ….. the thought that they would labour for years w/o any discernable rewards is more than they can bear.
ii. But if you are willing to be a man / woman who will serve the trust apprenticeship you will make the discovery that people are willing to place their confidence in you.
Genesis 41:46 (NKJV) 46Joseph was thirty years old when he stood before Pharaoh king of Egypt.
iii. It took Joseph 13 years …… I don’t know how long it will take you but what I can tell you is that it will pay off.
# 3. The investment of a good name.
A. If you want to make a sound investment that won’t let you down – invest in a good name.
a. There are so many investments in life that are going to let you down.
i. It’s amazing how much difference a few % increase in interest rates can spoil a great investment.
ii. The global economy doesn’t have to spiral downward too much b/4 life savings / investments can be swept away in a day.
iii. Hot property markets can b/co glutted w/ an overburden of properties that can’t be sold.
iv. Metals rise & fall on the whim of world markets & demands that can change from day to day.
b. But here’s an investment that the Bible says won’t let you down – a good name.
i. If you’ll invest in a good name you’ll find one day that it will open for you doors that money can’t.
ii. There will be a day when your reputation will get you things that money can’t buy you…… that’s why the Bible says ….
Vs 1. 1A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches, Loving favor rather than silver and gold.
c. Think about the way trust elevated Joseph.
i. B/c he was a man who was not only wise but also trustworthy he was elevated to the most powerful office in the world of his day under the king.
ii. The reins of all the resources / wealth of Egypt were put into his hands b/c he was a man who could be trusted.
iii. Who knows what doors might be opened for you b/c you are someone who can be trusted.
B. Salvation is ultimately the ongoing investment in a good name.
a. Think about it …… one day your name is going to open heaven’s doors.
Revelation 21:27 (NKJV) 27But there shall by no means enter it anything £that defiles, or causes an abomination or a lie, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life.
i. It’s not just the one time decision of believing in Jesus as your Lord & saviour but the investment in trusting in & living your life His way!
ii. B/co a person that others can say …….
Matthew 26:73 (NKJV) ……“Surely you also are one of them, for your speech betrays you.”
