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Weekly Wisdom Winnows
by Lisa Mendenhall
Why does the Bible say a good name is rather to be chosen than great riches?-[Proverbs riches?-[Proverbs riches?-[Proverbs 22:1] I was thinking about this the other day. I had went to drop off some things at a good will store and as I was unloading my car, I heard, "isn't she such and such's sister". I thought "Oh Lord! Here we go!" I have 3 brothers and to put it nicely, none of them are serving the Lord! They continued, "she's lost a lot of weight but I'm almost sure it is". (He was talking to his wife.) My mind is racing, do I pretend I don't hear them? (believe me, they meant for me to hear them) or do I say "yep, that's me!" Your first inclination usually is I wonder why they want to know. Is it a good thing to be his sister this time or a bad thing? To make a long story short, I said, "Yep that's me", and got out of there as fast as my little feet would carry me!
A few days before that, I was in WalMart with my husband, and a police officer I have known all my life (he's my cousin) was talking to me and went to asking about my other 2 brothers! Oh Brother, here we go again! Now when I say they ain't serving God, you get the picture right? So I was mighty proud to tell that man I didn't know nothing cause I am only around them at Christmas time and Easter! (Now for you all that don't know me, I am not ashamed of my family, I love `em all dearly. But certain things are best left alone!)
Now I know this is hard for yall to believe that know me now, but I didn't use to have such a nice name(as in reputation)! So I know that a name (as in my character!) can be changed! Cause I'm a pretty good ole girl now! Ask anybody, well almost anybody, maybe not my pastor or my husband or my...NO JUST KIDDING! I really do have 100% better reputation than I once had and that is what it means to have a good name. Your name says something about you, good or bad. The New Living Translation of Proverbs 22:1 says this; Choose a good reputation over great riches, for being held in high esteem is better than having silver or gold.
You know if you have a past, that's okay. You can have a new future. As you grow in Christ your character grows, as your character grows, your name changes. We can all name people we know that used to be "the bad kid on the block", who is now serving God and a whole different person. On the other hand we know people who have had good names and went the other direction and became a "changed name". What ever your case is personally, I am here to tell you, you can change it! No, it won't change overnight, but in a years time as you change in Christ your reputation will change with it and when your name is mentioned, your family and friends won't run the other way! But will be proud to say, Yep! I know him, or Yep, that's my brother!!!! There is no time like the present to start your change. Metamorphose into the new you!
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'To separate the chaff from (grain) by means of a current of air. To rid of undesirable parts. To separate or get rid of (an undesirable part); eliminate: winnowing out the errors in logic. ...separate grain from chaff...separate the good from the bad...examine closely in order to separate the good from the bad; sift...' (www.dictionary.com) 'This study gave me direction and focus for my teaching. God had placed a longing in my heart to teach the body of Christ how to separate from carnal thinking and rid themselves of old ways that hinder their Spiritual growth. I desire to see them live victoriously, by the 'higher ways' of God's wisdom.'
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