More Than a Name

By Dean Collins

I have nine grandchildren, so in recent years, I have heard many discussions about choosing the baby’s name. My daughters and their husbands would sometimes ask for ideas on names, so I offered a few family names from generations past – but they basically smiled and told me they had a few of their own in mind. No one ever picked my grandfather’s name, Monleys (pronounced Munless) Commadore. Yes, that was his name, and oh, how I wish I knew its origin! My children basically decided they could come up with good names on their own!

The wise king of proverbs said this about names: “A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches, and favor is better than silver or gold.” Solomon wasn’t giving tips on how parents might choose their children’s names. He was actually saying something even more important. Solomon was focused on substance over fame and character formation over wealth. You might not have chosen your birth name, but you do get to choose your priorities and your reputation.

It is not a new phenomenon that many young people want to have fame. It isn’t a particularly new thing to want to be famous for something. Sixty years ago, my neighborhood friends all dreamed of being the next great MLB pitcher, homerun king, or Gold Glove recipient. In lots of sandlot baseball games, we imagined ourselves in the situations that would one day make us famous and, naturally, rich. It didn’t happen for me or anyone in my neighborhood.

But due to technology, the internet, and social media, we see a worldwide obsession with being famous for something and the wealth that seems to follow those who succeed in making a name for themselves. But making a name for yourself doesn’t mean you have a good name. Just think of some of the names we know because they have taken innocent lives or abused their positions, causing harm to those around them. Being famous isn’t the same as having a good name.

Sadly, we probably could all come up with lists of famous people and wealthy people we would never want our kids to have as role models. If we want to have a good name, then we will need to make choices that are often the opposite of what the world admires.

Just a few verses after Solomon said a good name is to be desired over riches, he gave us a clue of what it would take to develop a good name: “Incline your ear, and hear the words of the wise, and apply your heart to my knowledge, for it will be pleasant if you keep them within you, if all of them are ready on your lips. That your trust may be in the Lord, I have made them known to you today, even to you.”(17-19)

If we want our children to have good names, it begins with us modeling what it looks like to have a good name. First, we have to choose to be around those who have wisdom and to listen to them. “Incline your ear and hear” must be intentional. But it doesn’t stop there. Solomon added “and apply your heart to my knowledge, for it will be pleasant if you keep them within you, if all of them are ready on your lips.”

Scripture is filled with thousands of verses that provide wisdom from God. Reading those verses is helpful. Listening to sermons and reading devotionals that explain those verses can also be helpful. But note that wisdom doesn’t come to us until we are ready to apply those principles in our daily lives. Talking about kindness and being kind are two different things. Wisdom comes through application. According to Solomon, we have to have God’s truth on our lips, so that as we go through our daily activities, we find ways to apply God’s wisdom in every situation.

Ultimately, Solomon explained that the more you apply God’s principles, the greater trust you will have in the Lord. And the more we trust the Lord, the more we will bring God glory through our obedience. And before you know it, we will be showing our children and grandchildren that choosing to live lives of character is far more important than how big our house is or how many nice things we can buy.

Father, forgive us when we have been lazy and simply read your wisdom, but failed to apply it. Today, we choose you. Today, we seek to apply your truth in our lives, that you might gain glory and that your name might be known through us. In Jesus's name, amen.

Your Time with God’s Word
Proverbs 22:1, 17-19; 1 Timothy 4:7-10 ESV

Photo by Jon Tyson on Unsplash
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