What’s in a name…

It was a “thing” back in third grade… having autograph books. One of my classmates simply signed her name and “Proverbs 22:1.” I remember not having a clue back then what that was referring to, let alone why she would chose to sign her autograph in such a cryptic way.

A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches,
and favor is better than silver or gold.

Proverbs 22:1 (ESV)

A “good name” is synonymous with having a good reputation. Aha! That helps shed light on what my third-grade classmate wrote. One’s reputation definitely is of the highest value. Definitely worth pursuing above all else!

Daniel was a young man who lived centuries ago. His homeland had been invaded and he, along with three friends, was taken captive by the enemy. These young men were from the royal family and nobility. They were described as “youths without blemish, of good appearance and skillful in all wisdom, endowed with understanding and discerning knowledge, and had the ability to serve in the king’s court.” They were the cream of the crop, so to speak.

And yet they found themselves in a foreign country, a country that didn’t honor the God they honored and worshiped. They were given an ultimatum: to be taught the literature and language of their captors, to eat the same food and drink the same wine as the King, to be educated for three years… and THEN to stand before the King.

Only problem… Daniel felt that eating the King’s food and drinking his wine would dishonor, taint himself. And so he asked his captors for permission to NOT eat and drink these unacceptable foods and beverages. He resolved to not defile himself.

He and his three buddies found favor and compassion in the sight of the man assigned to carry out the King’s edict. Disobeying the King’s edict could have serious repercussions: it could endanger this man’s life. And so Daniel suggested a compromise: give him and his friends only water and vegetables for ten days, and then see how they compared to other young men who were also “in training” but who were eating the King’s fare.

Amazingly, at the end of the ten days Daniel and his friends were “better in appearance and fatter in flesh than all the youths who ate the King’s food.”

Seems like a minor thing, an insignificant/inconsequential thing. I mean really — how bad could the King’s wine and food be?!? But for these young men, choosing to do the right thing, to not violate their consciences was more important than any unpleasant consequences, regardless of what they may be.

As the story goes on, the value of that initial decision plays out as Daniel and his friends end up having a significant role in representing God in their new environment. Daniel is recognized and appreciated for his leadership. The King himself said the “the spirit of the gods is in you, and that light and understanding and excellent wisdom are found in you.”

A good name. A good reputation. Of more value than great wealth.

Hmm… how does this relate to me?

• What am I doing — or NOT doing — that is enhancing God’s reputation where I am living? or hindering it?
• What are the little things that trip me up?
• How does what I see in the news, on social media influence my choices? And what role does the opinion of others play?
• As a Christ follower, how might those I interact with describe the God I represent and serve?
• If I were to write in someone’s autograph book today, what message would I want to communicate?

I’m not in third grade anymore, but I’m still learning, still striving to rightly represent Jesus in this world in which I — in which you and I — live. May God give us the grace and fortitude to be like Daniel… and together to have joy in the journey of this thing called “Life!”

Note: to read more about Daniel and his friends, check out the book of Daniel in the Old Testament of the Bible.