How is choosing a good name better than choosing riches (Proverbs 22:1)?

"A name [is] rather to be chosen than great riches, loving favour rather than silver and gold. "Rich and poor meet together: Jehovah [is] the maker of them all. "A prudent one sees the evil and hides himself; but the simple pass on and are punished. "The reward of humility, the fear of Jehovah, [is] riches and honour, and life. "Thorns, snares, are in the way of a perverse one; he that guards his soul keeps far from them. "Train up the child in accordance with his course, and when he is old, he will not depart from it. "The rich rules over the poor, and the borrower [is] servant of the lender." vv. 1-7.

It is usual to supply the word "good" in the version of the opening clause of the 22nd chapter. But this is so necessarily implied as to seem needless. For who could suppose that a false pretension is of any value? One's name in Scripture is the manifestation of what one is; the object of the heart determines the character; and here it is supposed to be what is excellent in God's eyes as well as man's. Hence, loving favour accompanies it, which is far from due to silver and gold, often the portion of the worthless.

Better than great riches, better than silver and gold is a name and loving favor. If a person has riches and a bad name and is not well thought of, he is less honorable than the poor man who has a name and good reputation. In Ecclesiastes, Solomon says: "A good name is better than precious ointment" (Eccles. 7:1). The third verse has a wise message: "The prudent man foreseeth the evil and hideth himself, but the simple pass on, and suffer for it." The Lord has revealed in His Word the evil which is in store for the sinner and the impenitent. He also has prepared a hiding place, an ark of safety, in His Son, our Lord. The prudent believeth the Word and flees to the refuge; the simple, the unbelieving, pass on and suffer for it when the evil comes. Humility and the fear of the Lord has a reward, while thorns and snares are in the way of the froward. sowing and reaping is found in verses 8 and 9. He that soweth iniquity reaps vanity, or calamity; he that has a bountiful eye, who looks upon the poor and needy with kindness and supplies their wants reaps blessing. In verse 11 we read, "He that loveth pureness of heart, for the grace of his lips the king shall be his friend." In such, whose hearts are pure and whose words are gracious, the Lord, the King, delights.

"A [good] name is better than precious ointment; and the day of death than the day of one's birth. [It is] better to go to the house of mourning, than to go to the house of feasting: for that [is] the end of all men; and the living will lay it to heart. Sorrow is better than laughter: for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made glad. The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning, but the heart of fools in the house of mirth. [It is] better for a man to hear the rebuke of the wise, than to hear the song of fools. For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so [is] the laughter of the fool. This also [is] vanity. Surely oppression makes a wise man foolish; and a gift destroys the understanding. Better [is] the end of a thing than the beginning thereof: and the patient in spirit [is] better than the proud in spirit. Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry: for anger rests in the bosom of fools. Say not thou, How is it that the former days were better than these? for thou dost not inquire wisely concerning this. Wisdom [is] good with an inheritance: yea, more excellent [is it] for them that see the sun. For wisdom is a defence, [even as] money [is] a defence: but the excellency of knowledge [is, that] wisdom preserves the life of him that has it. Consider the work of God: for who can make straight [that] which he has made crooked? In the day of prosperity enjoy good, and in the day of adversity consider: God has even made the one side by side with the other, to the end that man should not find out any thing that shall be after him" (vers. 1-14).

Prov. 22 opens with a kindred sentiment: "A name is rather to be chosen than great riches, favour is better than silver and gold." Men do not think so, still less so act; but thus it is; and the loss is irreparable. The day of death closes the sorrow of the world, into which birth ushers fallen man. No doubt, Christ changes all; but this is not the truth discussed here, but the present scene. Hence the profit of going to the house of mourning over that of feasting, and of rebuke from the wise over the song of fools: which is mere noise and blaze for a moment. Again, the affliction of life, or oppression, is apt to daze a wise man, as a gift to destroy the heart's purpose; so that the end of a matter is better than its beginning, and longsuffering than highmindedness. And as it is well to guard against hasty anger, so especially against retaining it. Nor do they enquire wisely who assume that the former days were better than these. Wisdom with an inheritance is good and profitable here below. It is a shadow or shelter, as is money, yet how differently! For the excellency of knowledge is, that wisdom gives life to him that has it. Hence the folly of fighting against the goads, of lack of sympathy with what God orders of joy or sorrow. Our true wisdom is in dependence on Him.

"A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches, loving favor rather than silver and gold" (v. 8). Solomon possessed great riches, but as he became older he sadly neglected to preserve a good name. Who could do this who wanted 1000 wives and 300 concubines? We should think he would deeply miss the sweetness of God's loving favor!

Humility of a true sort, the fear of Jehovah, has its reward in riches and honour and life, which greater ability misses for the lack of it.

"The memory of the righteous is blessed, but the name of the wicked shall rot" (v. 7). Thus, Abraham, Moses, Samuel, David, Daniel, Paul, Peter, John and many others continue through the ages to be honored in the hearts of multitudes, while even the names of many ungodly opposers of the truth of God are forgotten as rotted refuse. Or if some names, such as Ahab, Jezebel, Athaliah are remembered, they only awaken utter disgust and abhorrence.

The beggar's name was Lazarus; the rich man's name is not recorded. Lazarus means "God is my helper." It is infinitely better to have the knowledge of God than to have all the world's wealth rolled into one's lap. For of all that which stands connected with a man here below nothing can be carried out of the world but his sins, and these he carries with him right up to the Judgment Throne! The beggar's name has been carefully preserved for us, for precious in the sight of the Lord is every child of faith, however lowly his station here; the name of the fool who wasted his life (however exalted his standing) is better blotted out.

The spirit that is "virtuous" is quite distinct from "gracious"; but the picture given in the latter part of Proverbs 31 is of a woman of whom the latter might be predicated as the former is. They are but different aspects of the same person. How can there be found a more vivid answer to one who seeks the meaning of her retaining honour? In fact it is well illustrated in the history of Abigail the Carmelite, as her husband Nabal shows how the violent retain riches. For the one a meek and quiet spirit is not only of great price in God's sight, but a blessing that endures; whereas what are the stoutest in holding their wealth before death? There is no discharge in that war.

How beautiful is the character of a gracious woman, who by grace retains virtuous honor, in contrast to that of a ruthless man, though he retains riches. For how long? Such material gain is gone very soon, while the honor of a gracious woman accompanies her into eternity (v. 16). A man also, who is merciful, will enjoy the same honor, doing good to his own soul (v. 17), while one who is cruel is not only harming others, but himself more than others.

It was no light thing to become the son-in-law of such a man; and the young priest, contrary to God's order, gave up his own name and took the name of his wife: and so in Ezra he stands with the name "Barzillai". But his own priestly name is lost; lost it would appear in the desire for worldly advancement, riches, wealth and honour. Doubtless he gained all these; and he probably thought the price he paid was very small; but how little did he think that his act, some five hundred years later would cost his children their blessed, privileged place of priests! But we cannot obtain advancement in the things of the world without loss in the things of Heaven. And in the end we will find that Heaven's riches and honour are more enduring than those of earth, no matter how tempting the offer may be now. (See Ezra 2:61).