650_The value of a good name (Proverbs 22:1)
Proverbs 22:1 A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches,
and favor is better than silver or gold.
Many years ago, a well–known businessman in America was once asked what the most valuable asset of his company was. People expected him to mention their buildings, their investments, or the millions of dollars in revenue they generated each year. Instead, he gave a simple answer: “Our reputation.” He explained that buildings can burn, markets can collapse, and money can vanish, but a trusted name can rebuild everything that was lost. If customers believe in your name, they will return. If people trust your character, they will stand with you even after failure.
That insight captures the wisdom expressed centuries earlier in Scripture. Proverbs 22:1 says, “A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches, and favor is better than silver or gold.” This proverb presents us with one of the most important choices in human life: the choice between wealth and character, between riches and reputation, between success gained by questionable means and a life lived with integrity.
The verse does not condemn wealth itself. The Bible does not teach that riches are evil. But it clearly teaches that character must always come before riches. If we are forced to choose between great wealth and a good name, Scripture tells us to choose the good name.
What does the Bible mean by “a good name”? It refers to a person’s reputation, integrity, and moral character. It is the way others perceive our life and conduct. A good name is built on qualities such as honesty, trustworthiness, kindness, reliability, and moral consistency. It means that when people hear your name, they associate it with truth and integrity.
A good reputation cannot be purchased with money. It is not something we can acquire instantly. It is built slowly, over time, through countless small decisions. Every choice we make, every word we speak, every promise we keep or break contributes to the name we carry.
When a person has a good name, their word carries weight. People trust them without hesitation. Opportunities open naturally because others know they can be relied upon. Relationships grow deeper because trust forms the foundation of those relationships.
On the other hand, riches without integrity rarely bring lasting respect. A person may accumulate wealth through dishonest or questionable methods, but such success often brings suspicion, conflict, and eventually disgrace. Wealth may impress people for a moment, but character earns their lasting respect.
Money can provide comfort, but it cannot guarantee peace of mind. It cannot ensure genuine friendships or lasting influence. Riches can disappear quickly through economic changes, bad decisions, or unexpected crises. But a good name often outlives wealth. Even when someone loses their money, their reputation can help them rebuild because people are willing to trust and support them.
Scripture gives us many examples of people who chose integrity over personal gain.
Consider Joseph. In Genesis 39, Joseph was serving in the house of Potiphar in Egypt. Potiphar’s wife repeatedly tempted him to commit adultery with her. Joseph could have accepted her offer and gained temporary pleasure or perhaps greater influence in the household. Instead, he refused. His words reveal his priorities: “How then can I do this great wickedness and sin against God?” (Genesis 39:9).
Joseph valued righteousness more than comfort or advantage. His decision cost him dearly. Potiphar’s wife falsely accused him, and Joseph was thrown into prison. Yet Joseph’s integrity did not go unnoticed. Over time, his faithfulness and character earned him favor, and eventually he was elevated to become the governor of Egypt under Pharaoh. Joseph chose integrity over immediate gain, and in the end his good name lifted him to a place of great responsibility and honor.
Another powerful example is Daniel. Daniel served in a high position within the government of Babylon. His enemies could not find any corruption in him because he was faithful and trustworthy in his duties. Daniel 6:4 says they could find “no corruption in him, because he was trustworthy and neither corrupt nor negligent.”
Knowing this, his enemies manipulated the king into issuing a decree that no one could pray to any god except the king for thirty days. Daniel now faced a difficult choice. He could protect his career and position by quietly compromising his faith, or he could remain faithful to God.
Daniel chose faithfulness. He continued praying openly to God just as he had always done. His enemies arrested him, and he was thrown into the lions’ den. Yet God protected him, and Daniel’s reputation for integrity became even more widely known. Daniel valued faithfulness to God more than preserving his position.
The story of Ruth also beautifully illustrates the power of a good name. Ruth was a poor widow who had left her homeland to care for her mother-in-law Naomi. She had no wealth, no social status, and no guarantee of security. Yet Ruth showed extraordinary loyalty, humility, and kindness.
While working in the fields of Boaz, he told her something remarkable: “All the people of my town know that you are a woman of noble character” (Ruth 3:11). Ruth’s reputation had spread throughout the community. Her character was known and respected.
Because of her noble character, Boaz showed kindness toward her and eventually married her. Ruth not only found security and blessing, but she also became part of the lineage of Jesus Christ. Though she had no riches, her character brought honor that far exceeded wealth.
Another example is the prophet Samuel. Near the end of his leadership over Israel, Samuel addressed the people and asked them an important question: “Whose ox have I taken? Whom have I cheated? Whom have I oppressed?” (1 Samuel 12:3). The people testified that Samuel had never abused his authority or taken bribes.
Samuel had led the nation with integrity. Though he had great power and opportunity, he never used his position for personal gain. His good name before the people was more valuable than any wealth he could have acquired through corruption.
The second part of Proverbs 22:1 adds another important truth: “Favor is better than silver or gold.” Favor refers to goodwill, respect, and acceptance from others—and often from God as well. It is the kind of trust and appreciation that money cannot buy.
Favor brings support from others in times of difficulty. It leads to meaningful relationships built on trust. It creates influence that is rooted not in wealth but in respect.
Silver and gold represent material wealth, but favor represents social and moral capital. A person who enjoys favor is trusted. When challenges arise, people are willing to help them. Their influence comes from the credibility of their character.
Wealth is not evil, but it should never be pursued at the expense of integrity.
If we are forced to choose, Scripture calls us to choose honor over profit, trust over gain, and reputation over riches.
We might paraphrase Proverbs 22:1 like this: a life of integrity and a respected reputation are far more valuable than great wealth; the goodwill of others is worth more than money. Money can buy possessions, but a good name earns trust, respect, and lasting influence—things wealth alone can never secure.
The Bible also warns us about the “deceitfulness of riches.” Wealth often appears attractive and powerful, but it can easily mislead us into thinking that it is the ultimate measure of success. Jesus warned that riches can choke spiritual life if they become our main pursuit.
The true purpose of our lives is not simply to accumulate wealth but to reflect the character of God. As we abide in Christ, His life begins to shape our character.
Peter writes in 2 Peter 1:3–4 that God’s divine power “has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness… so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature.” Through Christ, we are called to share in God’s character and to live lives marked by holiness, integrity, and goodness.
When we live this way, we experience favor with God and with people. Even Jesus Himself grew in this way. Luke 2:52 tells us that Jesus “grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.” That balance—favor with God and with people—reflects the kind of life Proverbs is encouraging us to pursue.
In a world that often measures success by money, status, and possessions, this proverb calls us to a different standard. It reminds us that the name we carry is more valuable than the wealth we accumulate.
One day our money will no longer matter. Our possessions will pass to others. But the character we built and the reputation we leave behind will remain in the memories of those who knew us.
So the practical question for us today is simple: What kind of name are we building? Every decision we make contributes to that name. Every act of honesty strengthens it. Every compromise weakens it.
Let us choose to live in such a way that our conscience remains clear before God. Let us seek to live with integrity in our workplaces, our families, and our communities. And let us teach our children that a good name and favor with God and people are far more valuable than great riches.
If we keep this perspective, we will not be deceived by the glitter of wealth. Instead, we will pursue a life that reflects Christ’s character. And when our journey on earth comes to an end, we will not only have lived well—we will also finish well, leaving behind a name that honors God. God bless.
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