A GOOD NAME (2)
(Message by Tanny Keng)
1. Basic requirement to earn a good name (reputation)
a) Return borrowed items
i) Scripture is very clear about the bad name that is earned when a person fails to return what was borrowed.
@1. 21 The wicked borrow and do not repay, but the righteous give generously. (Psalms 37:21 NIV)
@2. Borrowing from friends and relatives is usually done without careful records. It is often prompted by the urgency or need of the moment, wiht full intention to repay. However when the pressure eases, the items are forgotten by the borrower - but not the lender. As time passes, the risk of damage, both to the borrowed items and to the friendship, continues to increase.
ii) Have we returned items we may have borrowed?
@1. Small amount of money.
@2. Books.
@3. Tools.
@4. Food.
@5. Petrol used in borrowed car.
@6. Pen or pencil.
@7. Clothes for special occasion.
@8. Equipment we have returned damaged.
@9. Items left by visitors.
b) Use just weights and measures
i) God's eyes are upon every business transaction that we make. Dishonestly in selling or buying is not only a sin against that person with whom we are dealing, but it is a sin against God and his econmic order. God clearly tells us that he established just weights and measures.
@1. 13 Do not have two differing weights in your bag—one heavy, one light. 14 Do not have two differing measures in your house—one large, one small. 15 You must have accurate and honest weights and measures, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you. 16 For the Lord your God detests anyone who does these things, anyone who deals dishonestly. (Deuteronomy 25:13-16 NIV)
ii) A false weight or measure is not a large theft, in fact it is a small theft repeated many times to many people. But God is not pleased and severely condemns it.
@1. 1The Lord detests dishonest scales, but accurate weights find favor with him. (Proverbs 11:1 NIV)
@2. 10 Differing weights and differing measures—the Lord detests them both. (Proverbs 20:10 NIV)
@3. 23 The Lord detests differing weights, and dishonest scales do not please him. (Proverbs 20:23 NIV)
@4. 11 Shall I acquit someone with dishonest scales, with a bag of false weights? 12 Your rich people are violent; your inhabitants are liars and their tongues speak deceitfully. 13 Therefore, I have begun to destroy you, to ruin you because of your sins. 14 You will eat but not be satisfied; your stomach will still be empty. You will store up but save nothing, because what you save I will give to the sword. 15 You will plant but not harvest; you will press olives but not use the oil, you will crush grapes but not drink the wine. (Micah 6:11-15 NIV)
iii) Are we guilty of such little dishonesty?
@1. Purposely getting to work late and leaving work much earlier.
@2. Charging more than an item is worth.
@3. Failing to reveal defects.
@4. Reducing the quality of items.
@5. Making exaggerated claims.
@6. Not giving full amount of a purchase.
@7. Misusing sick-leave policy.
c) Reject gain that comes from another's loss
i) God condemns "unjust gains." He warns that those who receive it will gather it to their own hurt.
@1. 18 These men lie in wait for their own blood; they ambush only themselves! 19 Such are the paths of all who go after ill-gotten gain; it takes away the life of those who get it. (Proverbs 1:18-19 NIV)
ii) There will be severe and lasting damage to the name of nay person who profits from another's loss. Although a way of getting money may be legal, it violates God's word if it takes advantage of the poor.
@1. 1 Blessed are those who have regard for the weak; the Lord delivers them in times of trouble. 2 The Lord protects and preserves them—they are counted among the blessed in the land—he does not give them over to the desire of their foes. (Psalms 41:1-2 NIV)
iii) Have we gained at the expense of another?
@1. Winning in a lottery or bingo game.
@2. Gaining through any form of gambling.
@3. Making, selling or delivering liquor, cigarettes, harmful drugs or pornography.
@4. Reward for getting friends to buy high-priced items that they do not need.
@5. Taking advantages of the poor.
d) Be punctual in paying bills
i) A good name requires that bills be paid promptly. To withhold payment is to violate the clear instruction of Scripture. In God's eyes, a payment is late one day after the work was finished.
@1. 28 Do not say to your neighbor, “Come back tomorrow and I’ll give it to you”—when you already have it with you. (Proverbs 3:28 NIV)
e) Associate with wise and godly people
i) People who evaluate our name on the basis of the company we keep. There is the continual danger of damaging a good name by wrong friendships.
@1. 20 Walk with the wise and become wise, for a companion of fools suffers harm. (Proverbs 13:20 NIV)
ii) Friendship also influences us to make judgment about basic decisions in life. Do all our close friends have a good name (reputation) as wise and godly people?
The End ...
1. Basic requirement to earn a good name (reputation)a) Return borrowed items
i) Scripture is very clear about the bad name that is earned when a person fails to return what was borrowed.
@1. 21 The wicked borrow and do not repay, but the righteous give generously. (Psalms 37:21 NIV)
@2. Borrowing from friends and relatives is usually done without careful records. It is often prompted by the urgency or need of the moment, wiht full intention to repay. However when the pressure eases, the items are forgotten by the borrower - but not the lender. As time passes, the risk of damage, both to the borrowed items and to the friendship, continues to increase.
ii) Have we returned items we may have borrowed?
@1. Small amount of money.
@2. Books.
@3. Tools.
@4. Food.
@5. Petrol used in borrowed car.
@6. Pen or pencil.
@7. Clothes for special occasion.
@8. Equipment we have returned damaged.
@9. Items left by visitors.
b) Use just weights and measures
i) God's eyes are upon every business transaction that we make. Dishonestly in selling or buying is not only a sin against that person with whom we are dealing, but it is a sin against God and his econmic order. God clearly tells us that he established just weights and measures.
@1. 13 Do not have two differing weights in your bag—one heavy, one light. 14 Do not have two differing measures in your house—one large, one small. 15 You must have accurate and honest weights and measures, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you. 16 For the Lord your God detests anyone who does these things, anyone who deals dishonestly. (Deuteronomy 25:13-16 NIV)
ii) A false weight or measure is not a large theft, in fact it is a small theft repeated many times to many people. But God is not pleased and severely condemns it.
@1. 1The Lord detests dishonest scales, but accurate weights find favor with him. (Proverbs 11:1 NIV)
@2. 10 Differing weights and differing measures—the Lord detests them both. (Proverbs 20:10 NIV)
@3. 23 The Lord detests differing weights, and dishonest scales do not please him. (Proverbs 20:23 NIV)
@4. 11 Shall I acquit someone with dishonest scales, with a bag of false weights? 12 Your rich people are violent; your inhabitants are liars and their tongues speak deceitfully. 13 Therefore, I have begun to destroy you, to ruin you because of your sins. 14 You will eat but not be satisfied; your stomach will still be empty. You will store up but save nothing, because what you save I will give to the sword. 15 You will plant but not harvest; you will press olives but not use the oil, you will crush grapes but not drink the wine. (Micah 6:11-15 NIV)
iii) Are we guilty of such little dishonesty?
@1. Purposely getting to work late and leaving work much earlier.
@2. Charging more than an item is worth.
@3. Failing to reveal defects.
@4. Reducing the quality of items.
@6. Not giving full amount of a purchase.
@7. Misusing sick-leave policy.
c) Reject gain that comes from another's loss
i) God condemns "unjust gains." He warns that those who receive it will gather it to their own hurt.
@1. 18 These men lie in wait for their own blood; they ambush only themselves! 19 Such are the paths of all who go after ill-gotten gain; it takes away the life of those who get it. (Proverbs 1:18-19 NIV)
ii) There will be severe and lasting damage to the name of nay person who profits from another's loss. Although a way of getting money may be legal, it violates God's word if it takes advantage of the poor.
@1. 1 Blessed are those who have regard for the weak; the Lord delivers them in times of trouble. 2 The Lord protects and preserves them—they are counted among the blessed in the land—he does not give them over to the desire of their foes. (Psalms 41:1-2 NIV)
iii) Have we gained at the expense of another?
@1. Winning in a lottery or bingo game.
@2. Gaining through any form of gambling.
@3. Making, selling or delivering liquor, cigarettes, harmful drugs or pornography.
@4. Reward for getting friends to buy high-priced items that they do not need.
@5. Taking advantages of the poor.
d) Be punctual in paying bills
i) A good name requires that bills be paid promptly. To withhold payment is to violate the clear instruction of Scripture. In God's eyes, a payment is late one day after the work was finished.
@1. 28 Do not say to your neighbor, “Come back tomorrow and I’ll give it to you”—when you already have it with you. (Proverbs 3:28 NIV)
e) Associate with wise and godly people
i) People who evaluate our name on the basis of the company we keep. There is the continual danger of damaging a good name by wrong friendships.
@1. 20 Walk with the wise and become wise, for a companion of fools suffers harm. (Proverbs 13:20 NIV)
ii) Friendship also influences us to make judgment about basic decisions in life. Do all our close friends have a good name (reputation) as wise and godly people?
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