Proverbs Chapter 22 verse 1 to 11

Sermon Notes: Proverbs Chapter 22 verse 1 to 11. Reputation.

I wonder what people would say about you? How do you gain the respect of others? Proverbs Chapter 22 reminds us to ‘Choose a reputation over riches, for being held in high esteem is better than having money. It’s something that you choose; it is a choice that you make. You can choose what people think of you! You choose the kind of reputation that you have by the way that you act, the way that you live, the way that you behave, by the way that you do your work at work, by the way you treat other people.

We live in a time where image is everything – how we look to others, how we come across to others, what people think of us is everything. But what God does in the Book of Proverbs is that He just cuts through all the superficially of that, and tells us clearly that a good reputation is built on character, not image.

1: We should be the kind of people that speak to others with integrity and honesty. People who speak the truth are not only dependable, but they are as good as their word. Proverbs 12:22, ‘The Lord hates those who do not keep their word but delights in those who do.’ Do you want God to delight in you? Simply do what you promised to do – keep your word! God would say to us, ‘mean what you say and say what you mean.’ Proverbs 4:24, ‘Never say anything that isn’t true, have nothing to do with lies or misleading words.’ Is there any area of our lives that we need to work on this week regarding this point?

2: Serve other people with enthusiasm and joy. Look for opportunities to serve other people, to care for other people, to help other people. Proverbs 11:16, ‘A kind-hearted woman gains respect, but ruthless men gain only wealth.’ Wasn’t it, Jesus who said that ‘I have come not to be served.’ – not for me, but to serve you? I have come not to live my life for me – but for you! Isn’t that an attractive quality for any man or woman, teenager or child? Just to be known in your Avenue or among your circle of friends, and they say, ‘now they’re a kind-hearted person. What’s your reputation?

3: Share with other people generously. Proverbs reminds us ‘a generous man or woman will prosper, he or she who refreshes others, they themselves will be refreshed.’ It’s as we refresh others that God refreshes our hearts and spirits. You’ve heard people say, ‘that I’ve given so much, but I got so much more back when I shared and gave generously. ‘those who are kind to the poor lends to the Lord, and He will reward you for what you’ve done.’ We don’t want to be rewarded, but the truth is that we are, because the truth is that when you give, you are rewarded by God. Proverbs 21:13, ‘Those who shut their ears to the cry of the poor will be ignored in their own time of need.’ What kind of Giver are you?

4: Show others by the way you live, that you are not proud, but that you live humbly before God.’ Someone said this: ‘Stay humble or you will stumble.’ ‘Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.’ Proverbs 22:4, ‘True humility and fear of the Lord leads to riches, honour, people respect you.’

Image is something that you change overnight. Image is how you look to others, but character is what you’re like within yourself. And God says that He wants to form the character of Jesus in our lives. Romans 8:29, ‘He has chosen us to be conformed to the character likeness of Jesus.’ God is interested in changing and reshaping the character of who we are, so that you and I become like His Son, Jesus. If we take these four points and put them together we can say this of Jesus: ‘Jesus spoke with such integrity, He served people with such enthusiasm, He shared so generously with people, He walked humbly before His Father, and people loved Him, He grew in wisdom and in honour.’ Wouldn’t we be so different, wouldn’t our character be so different into the degree that we are reshaped into the likeness and loveliness of Jesus?