This last week I was contacted by a lady who wished to use my name as a reference on a job application. I made sure she knew that she could without hesitation from me. As I thought about that conversation, I began to remember sometimes in my life that the names of others benefited me. My first job on a farm at 14 years old was because my brother Marvin recommended me, because he had worked so hard for the man. I broke a window with a snowball in high school right into the teachers’ lounge upsetting several teachers. When the Superintendent found out I did it he gave me much mercy and I knew it was because of my sister Maggie’s good reputation when she was in high school. I would get my first job out of high school again because of the words of my brother Marvin to the boss. I would be able to return that favor years later for a career job for him. I got on the Reno Police Department partly because just as the Deputy Chief was considering me my friend Dave, who was the Range Master, was walking by the chief’s office. The chief called him into the office and asked Dave about me. Dave said, “yeah hire him, he is a good kid.”
I realized something I had already knew but needed to be reminded of, that most of my life’s success and even mercy given to me were because someone with a good name recommended me to someone else, by their word and deeds.
Today’s sermon is about this subject of “a good name.” And the greatest name in the world is the name of Jesus Christ. When someone in the world knows that you name the name of Jesus as a Christian, you now show the world by what you say and what you do who Jesus is. You are an ambassador of Christ to the world and the name that matters more than anyone else’s is the name of Jesus Christ. May I ask you; would your life recommend someone to Jesus by your performance in the last week?
“A good name is more desirable than great riches; to be esteemed is better than silver or gold.” (Prov. 22:1). Pastor Mark