Proverbs 22:1 Commentary - Dr Peter Masters

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Proverbs 22:1

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A good name means a reputation, and it would be a reputation for being trustworthy, honest, genuine. Such a reputation is better, greater, than riches, in all forms. It is better than possessions, better than wealth, better than riches in terms of appearance, beauty. It is far better to have a good name, a good reputation, to be considered trustworthy, to have integrity than any other form of popularity, or fame for some accomplishment, some ability. To be noted and remembered and thought of even by people who do not know you, people who may be hostile to you. ‘He or she was an honest person, a person of soundness and integrity.’ And this, of course, should be true of every believer. Far, far greater than the accumulation of wealth, or the aspiring to great promotion, or the accumulation of a fine home and goods is to study to have a reputation for integrity, absolute honesty.One would give a lot of thought to the matter if one wished to be rich or accumulate or build a business for the sake of it being large and prominent, conspicuous and redounding to your glory. How much more important to put even more thought and work into integrity? It is something that has to be striven for and defended and fought for. That is the meaning of the proverb. It is not easy to build solid integrity. You must pray for it and work for it, and you chastise yourself severely if you swerve from it and if you compromise and fall from honesty.Integrity, of course, encompasses other things such as humility. As a Christian you have to have a realistic view of yourself. Integrity, being honest with yourself, encompasses humility, and it encompasses works. You practice what you preach. We are Christians, we believe in good works, and integrity will practice them because we believe in them. It will study as hard to do good works and to be helpful and supportive people, as it works to have honesty. ‘And loving favour,’ a Hebrew word similar to the New Testament word ‘grace’ – kind regard, kindness. ‘Is rather to be sought than silver and gold’, not just because it is a warm and a pleasant experience to be held in kind regard by other people, but because it is one of the aims of the Christian to have such integrity that he is held in warm regard by all around.

Application

Be careful of the language which is used these days in our email and internet culture. It is a phoney society. It has been called ‘a faking-it’ society. And words are used so excessively and they have no meaning anymore. But we are Christians. Integrity. Say only what you mean. Say it with care. Be slow to speak. Hold back on some of these things. And if you are entering into courtship, be very careful that you seek the Lord’s will and his help. As a Christian, you have given yourself to the Lord. If you are going to give yourself to someone else, you had better have thought about it a good deal and be much in prayer, because you are the Lord’s. You cannot give yourself to another, and another, and another.

Questions

The word ‘good’ is in italics in our version, which means it is not in the Hebrew. There is a parallel passage in Ecclesiastes 7:1 which is more expansive in its original term used, and picking up from that our translators are quite sure that it is a good name which is intended here.

Outline

Purpose

Introduction

Proverbs 22:1 Commentary and Bible Study