I WANT to share a Bible verse with you today and then tell you why I believe it should mean something to you.
MOTIVATION:Ashley Thaba
“A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches, and favour is better than silver or gold. The rich and the poor meet together; the Lord is the Maker of them all.” Proverbs 22:1-2
Growing up, my parents taught and more importantly modelled that your name is to be highly valued and protected. My mother was a highly respected child psychologist and my father considered a lawyer as a person who operated with utmost integrity (there is a tall order! Ha!). Even if it meant they were cheated, they did everything they could to honour their name and reputation.
One motivation was the fact that they also were Christians and wanted to make sure that they were not “preaching” one thing and living another — hypocrites. But it was more than that.
They genuinely loved others and took literally the advice in Philippians 2:3, which states, “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others, but made Himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.”
They thought about how their actions would affect others and treated others the way they wanted to be treated.
This has stuck with me combined with the fact the same Holy Spirit within them that motivated them towards selfless love now lives and convicts me in a similar way. In today’s article, I want to encourage you why this is so important in a world where corruption reigns and customer service can feel nearly nonexistent!
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Corruption is the very opposite of what I am advocating because the only way to knowingly buy someone off means you are choosing to not think of the implications your illegal actions have on someone else.
If you get the tender because you know someone or you pay someone, that means the playing field is not level. You are choosing to elevate yourself over others who are just as worthy but now will not even be considered. You know you wouldn’t want someone to do that to you!
Customer service stinks because people don’t care about the business. If they are tired, they will not get up and go that extra mile to make a customer want to buy and support that shop.
Why would you do this? Because at the end of the month, you are going to get your paycheck regardless, so why put in the effort? If it were your shop and your efforts directly impacted your paycheck, you wouldn’t do that.
My point is we pick and choose when we want to operate our “best” because ultimately we pick and choose who matters to be treated fairly and kindly. Here is the result that I want you to pay close attention to. Over time of treating people like this, your name gets sullied.
You don’t mean to. If you knew that same person you cheated would one day be in a position to cheat you, you wouldn’t do it. If you knew that same customer you ignored or were rude to would one day be in a position to ignore you when you really need their attention, you wouldn’t do it. But, we don’t think that long term. We think about what we want to do right now.
And our name gets sullied.
The Bible says a good name is to be chosen over riches. Is there any merit in this statement? Maybe not in the short term … perhaps you will get what you want but those around you are learning you are not kind, trustworthy, nor honourable. They lose respect for you.
They will gladly cheat you the way you cheat others and not feel guilty. They may bow to you because you have the money, but they would celebrate your downfall in a heartbeat if the opportunity arose because they don’t like the way you treat them. These are the effects of a “bad name”.
On the flip side, when you are kind, fair and operate with integrity, in the moment you need it most, someone will go the extra mile to help you. You are the person they respect! You are the person they will recommend in your darkest hour to help because you deserve it. Your name is greatly respected. Mark my words — this gives you an invaluable advantage for the long-term. There is a verse in Psalms 37:25 which I have also found to be very true- “I was young and now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging bread.”
An honourable respected person who has operated with integrity and consistently chosen to love others is one who will have basic needs met. Don’t read me promising you will be rich. Maybe you will, Maybe you won’t, but I believe God has a way of making sure the needs are met of those who are righteous in their actions. Bottom line – Your name is worth more than gold in the long run! Fight for that. Live with the mindset that what people think of you does matter. I am out of space, but I will give you a story next week of how I saw this pay off today in a practical example.
