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anglican devotional

The Daily Fountain Devotional of the Church Of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) 5 August 2023 – Between A Good Name And Riches

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TOPIC: Between A Good Name And Riches

READ: Proverbs 22:1-17(NKJV)

  1. A [good] name is to be chosen rather than great riches, Loving favor rather than silver and gold.
  2. The rich and the poor have this in common, The LORD [is] the maker of them all.
  3. A prudent [man] foresees evil and hides himself, But the simple pass on and are punished.
  4. By humility [and] the fear of the LORD [Are] riches and honor and life.
  5. Thorns [and] snares [are] in the way of the perverse; He who guards his soul will be far from them.
  6. Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it.
  7. The rich rules over the poor, And the borrower [is] servant to the lender.
  8. He who sows iniquity will reap sorrow, And the rod of his anger will fail.
  9. He who has a generous eye will be blessed, For he gives of his bread to the poor.
  10. Cast out the scoffer, and contention will leave; Yes, strife and reproach will cease.
  11. He who loves purity of heart [And has] grace on his lips, The king [will be] his friend.
  12. The eyes of the LORD preserve knowledge, But He overthrows the words of the faithless.
  13. The lazy [man] says, “[There is] a lion outside! I shall be slain in the streets!”
  14. The mouth of an immoral woman [is] a deep pit; He who is abhorred by the LORD will fall there.
  15. Foolishness [is] bound up in the heart of a child; The rod of correction will drive it far from him.
  16. He who oppresses the poor to increase his [riches,] [And] he who gives to the rich, [will] surely [come] to poverty.
  17. Incline your ear and hear the words of the wise, And apply your heart to my knowledge;

The MESSAGE:

The book, Proverbs, is full of words of wisdom. The unifying theme of Proverbs is wisdom for right living. It is a wisdom that begins with humble submission to God and then flows to every area of life. Proverbs provide God’s detailed instructions for His people to deal successfully with the practical affairs of everyday life: How to relate to God and man as well as how to earn one’s living modestly. In the passage we read today, especially verses 1&4, we discover that people of God are advised to maintain their integrity and Christian virtues while pursuing their daily bread.

A good name has a greater value than riches. Christians are advised to go after good name rather than riches (v.1). One should trust in God, and not in riches, for they are not steady and reliable (Prov. 23:5). Christians should always have the fear of God while carrying out their businesses as civil servants, traders, artisans, students, etc. (v.4). The reason a good name is better is that in the end, we have to deal with God, and riches do not impress Him.

God loves upright people who fear Him and walk before Him. Our fate rests in God’s hands both in this world and the next. Those who remain faithful to God will receive riches, honour and life at His own appointed time. Therefore, if you have to choose between a good name and riches, choose a good name.

PRAYER: Help me O God, never to trust in uncertain riches of this world, but to put my mind on heavenly things.

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