Dr Greg Bahnsen - Proverbs: Proverbs 10:7, 9 (A Rotting Reputation) (Part 28)

We're going to continue our exposition of the Book of Proverbs. It's been quite a while that we've been in this book studying the wisdom of God, the foolishness of men, and how we need to practically change our lives to be more in tune with a godly attitude, a very practical godly way of operating in the world. This morning we come to Proverbs 10 I'd like to read, just to give you an idea of the theme for this morning, verses seven and nine, as we continue to look at a rotting reputation. Proverbs 10. 7. Hear now, God's word. The memory of the righteous is blessed, but the name of the wicked shall rot. Verse 9. He that walketh uprightly walketh surely, but he that perverteth his ways shall be known. Thus far, the reading of God's word. Do you think a godly man should be concerned about his reputation? If a person is really godly, will he even worry about matters like reputation? Initially, I think we would respond to that question with disdain for the moral compromise that would be involved if we said, yes, after all, we're compromising if we want to save face, we're compromising. If we want to avoid ridicule, we're compromising. If we're more concerned about our glory rather than the glory of God, I think we're initially inclined to say those sorts of things. And we might also think about the inevitability of suffering, persecution, suffering reproach for righteousness sake. Peter himself says in his First Epistle, chapter four, if you are reproached for the name of Christ, blessed are you. So we think of verses like that. We think of the compromise of those who put an undue stress upon their reputation. And I think we're initially inclined to say, well, of course not. Godly people are not concerned about their reputation, their standing. Nevertheless, the Book of Proverbs teaches us that the wise man is concerned for establishing a good reputation, but establishing it according to the principles of righteousness. And both of those things must be incorporated if we're going to understand reputation in a biblical fashion. We begin our series of Proverbs this morning at chapter 10, verse 7. Whereas, you recall, we have read, the memory of the righteous is blessed, but the name of the wicked shall rot. Proverbs here tells us that the shame of our sins as well as the commendation of our integrity are going to live after us. The shame of our sins is going to live after us. We live in such a way as to bring shame upon our names. We mustn't think, first of all, that if we just get away with it for the time being, then everything's going to be okay. And we mustn't think that if we're not getting away with it for the time being at least, eventually it's going to go away. No, as a matter of fact, it's going to keep eating and eating and eating away. Decomposing, decomposing, rotting and rotting. That's what the Book of Proverbs says. The name of the wicked is going to rot. The name of the wicked need to remember how the name is taken. In Semitic cultures, a man's name is himself. Man's name is his social standing and his reputation. A man's name is his strength. That's why we pray in the name of Christ. That's why we bless the name of God. That's why God puts his name in certain places, and it's a revelation of his very character. But here we read of the name of the wicked. And the name of the wicked will rot and decompose. The word in Hebrew is the same one that's used for wood that rots, the same word that's used for fruit that rots away, or for moth, eaten garments and decaying bones. And the name of the wicked will rot. On the other hand, we have the commendation that God promises to come upon the righteous. The memory of the righteous is blessed. The righteous will be remembered in a blessed way. Or another way of putting it. You could say the righteous will be given a memory that's a blessing, that the way people remember them will be a blessing to the righteous. Remember how David said in Psalm 112, 6, the righteous shall be an everlasting remembrance. And so we have set before us very clearly in the book of Proverbs an interest in reputation, a reputation that will rot if you're wicked, and a name that will be a blessing and everlasting remembrance if you are righteous in the sight of God. In the Psalms, David often invokes vengeance upon his adversaries. He does so in a way that makes us kind of uncomfortable. People run into these passages. We call them imprecatory psalms, in which imprecation is brought upon those who are enemies of God and enemies of God's people. Things like let his wife be left a widow and his children's heads bashed against the stones. And we read that, and we say, oh, how unloving. That's so harsh, so hard to accept. But you see, sin is harsh, and sin is extremely hard to accept. In the eyes of a holy God. And God takes our historical existence very seriously. And God takes opposition to his name and to his people very seriously. And God inspires his people to pray that if their enemies will not repent, if their enemies will not lay down their weapons and submit, bowing before the Lord of heaven and earth, if they will continue their hostilities against a holy God and his saved people, then we are led to pray for their destruction. And David does this. But it's interesting to me in the way he does it in some places. In Psalm 109, 1315, David says about the following generation. He says about his adversaries in the following generation. Let their name be blotted out, that Jehovah may cut off the memory of them from the earth. Their name and their memory cut off from the earth. Psalm 34:16. The face of Jehovah is against them that do evil, to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth. Now that can be taken in a couple of ways. It may be that both are intended. But let me distinguish these for you. David may be saying, let them be like a puff of smoke that is blown away, never remembered anymore. Let them be so insignificant, so lacking in lasting consequence or importance in the lives of others, that they're just dead, forgotten. That may be part of what he's saying. But you see, he is also saying, I believe, let the memory of them be a very wicked thing. May their reputation be lost. That is, let their name, their good name perish. And the reason I suggest that is another aspect of David's imprecation here is that in Psalm 95, 6, David speaks of the cities that God has plucked up and destroyed. And listen to what he says. You have blotted out their name forever and ever. The very remembrance of them has perished. The very remembrance of them is perished. You might say, well, doesn't that suggest your first interpretation, Pastor, that they're not even remembered? Oh, but there's an irony there. Any logician will tell you, any philosopher catches it right away. We deal in these things all the time. How can the memory of them be plumb forgotten if David's remembering them to say it? You see, you can't remember someone whose memory has perished if you take the strict and literal first interpretation, that they're just passed away, dead, forgotten. No, I think what David is saying here is that he does remember them. And what he remembers is that the remembrance of these wicked people. Well, how can I put this? It's not that their memory in the abstract has gone away. It's that any good thoughts of them have perished. A favorable memory has passed away and will never return. Any reputation they had has been destroyed. And we remember that. We remember that there aren't any good memories of these people anymore. So you see what I'm getting at in a sense, David, in preying this kind of curse upon his enemies, is saying, let their reputation be destroyed. And so from these considerations I hope it's evident that it is a matter of concern. It was to the ancient Hebrews, and a proper matter of concern, that one's memory, that one's public reputation, be a clean and a positive one. It would be a curse for your reputation to rot like a bad piece of fruit in the hot sun, or for good thoughts of you to perish from the face of the earth. Whatever brings about such a disastrous effect should be avoided. That's the thrust of the proverb, don't live a wicked life, because the memory of the wicked, the name of the wicked, will rot. And the point that Proverbs wants to drive home to keep us from a foolish short sightedness is that the path to a bad reputation is in reality the path of sinful living. The righteous may be persecuted and the righteous may be reviled, but in the end, the reputation of the righteous is one of integrity, one of principle. And it's rather those who live sinfully and without principle, who although they right now may appear very popular or very happy, it's the memory of those sinful, wicked people that is going to rot. And so the moral is plain here in Proverbs. If you want a good reputation, be a person of good character. If you want a good reputation, be a person of principle. If you want a good reputation, show the goodness of God in the way you live. Move down two verses and we have a similar proverb talking about reputation in verse nine. He that walketh uprightly walketh surely. But he that perverteth his ways shall be known. You know that shall be known isn't intended as an encouragement, it's meant to be ominous. One who perverts his ways will be found out. We're going to know about him. But when a person has nothing to hide, the Bible says he has nothing to fear. It's interesting to me that in Proverbs 3, verse 23, the author has already promised that the wise man will walk securely. The very language that we find here in verse nine, he that walketh uprightly walketh surely. Same Hebrew expression. However, in chapter three of Proverbs, the explanation of his walking securely is that his Foot will not stumble. He is outwardly safe. God takes care of the physical needs of the righteous. But the Hebrew word for surely, as it is found here, actually points to a state of mind. Not to outward safety, but to confidence within. He will walk with confidence. The person who conducts himself with integrity and with fidelity can have a carefree attitude. He can go through life saying, I'm confident. But the person who walks in a twisted and a crooked way, the one who has a perverted manner in his life, will be full of apprehension about his true character being found out and thus bringing him humiliation. And, you know, I'm tempted to remind you, you probably know people. You see them operating that way, so fearful that people will see them for what they really are and they'll be found out. And all the little schemes and maneuvers they go through and all the little compromises and rationalizations they engage to make sure that their true character isn't seen. I'm tempted to remind you that you know people like that, but probably you need to stop and look in the mirror, don't you? You probably know yourself like that. There's things about you you don't want people to know. Always amazes me when I do pastoral counseling. How people who are having marital problems or struggling with some particular sin, depressed or whatever it may be, will tell me. But everyone else at church looks like things are going so well for them. And I said, you've put it very well. Everyone else at church looks like things are going so well for them. And the reason we do that, I don't think it's completely wrong, but the reason why it appears that way is because we put our best foot forward. We want people to like us. We want people to see us in a good light. And so we're a little worried about people finding out what we really think or what our real desires are like, or what our language may be, or how we behave when others aren't around. We don't want that. Proverbs understands that. It says here that the one who walks in a perverted way shall be known, and we worry about that. We can't walk confidently because we are looking at our reputation, and we should. Elsewhere in the Book of Proverbs, another contrast is advanced between those who walk uprightly and those who have perverted their ways. It's found in Proverbs 28:18. There we read that the righteous will be delivered. Notice his confidence was an appropriate confidence, because he will be delivered. He can be carefree. But in that same passage we read the unrighteous shall fall at once. I think this helps us to see the distinct censure that is being pronounced at Proverbs 10:9. Am I losing you? Let's think about this. Proverbs 28, 18 on the one hand, Proverbs 10:9 on the other. Very similar in what they're saying, but there's also a difference. And if you want to understand the innuendo, if you want to understand the fine difference, you have to look at those. Proverbs 28 says of the unrighteous that he's going to fall, he's going to come to destruction. That isn't precisely what we read in Proverbs 10:9. It's an aspect of that, but it's one that's worthy of separate mention. We should distinctly look at it. Not only will the wicked come to destruction, but as a further penalty, their true character will be openly exposed. The unrighteous shall be known. And how will the unrighteous be known? How does God work it out that the evil character of the unrighteous, the bad reputation they deserve, comes out for everyone to see? Well, I can think of three ways. I want to be very brief, because we have other passages to look at this morning. But first of all, I think in the first place, we directly recognize the nature of their deeds. You need to realize it's very hard to cover over sin, just like it's very hard to cover up the stink in your backyard when you've got a dog. You can do a lot to try to make it nicer, but you know, there's something directly evident about what's out there in the backyard. In the same way, we need to realize that one of the ways in which we are known is that when we engage in sinful attitudes, when we are selfish, when we are gossips, when we are lusting, when we are greedy, when we are doing things that are displeasing to God, there is a kind of stench about us and our behavior that people don't have to do a lot of analysis and dissecting to get to. It just is there. People recognize that. And by the way, this is the backside in a sense. Kind of the reverse of the problem we have in apologetics. When people will say, but I know non Christians that are so nice, yet these Christians can be so petty and so unloving and on and on and on. Not that all of that criticism is just. But isn't that true? We are tempted to think there's power even outside of Christ, because people are nice people. We see patience or we see compassion. We see a giving attitude on the part of unbelievers. Well, likewise on the part of believers. You need to realize that our goodness, even when it's reviled, is seen and seen for what it is. And our wickedness is just as much seen for what it is. So the first way in which we're found out is just the direct nature of our behavior being seen for what it is. But secondly, there's the bad publicity when the wicked fall into troubles. You know, how many stories can I tell you of people who are powerful, people who are mighty or wealthy or well known, people who seem to have it made, people who were looked up to and in a moment their reputations were brought down. Newspaper reporter finds out some flaw in their background or something that's going on behind the scenes right now that comes out and lo and behold, the bad publicity destroys them. The wicked shall be known. That's the second way in which God shows us for what we are. And the third is very simply judicial censure. Judicial censure. There is, by God's appointment, an authority in the state and in the church as well as in the home, that openly rebukes misdeeds. First Timothy 5:20, speaking of the church puts it this way. Them that sin reprove in the sight of all that, the rest also may be in fear. When you lead a wicked life, one of the things you should expect is the session of your church is going to come and ask you to correct it. And when you don't, it can lead eventually to being openly exposed before the assembly of God's people. Them that sin rebuke before all. Proverbs warns us, the wicked shall be known. He may be known just because of the stench of his behavior. He may be known because of the bad publicity that brings him down. Later when it's found out, he may be known because of judicial censure that comes upon his life. We should be concerned about that. The memory of the wicked will rot and the character of the wicked shall be known. Lets turn to Proverbs 12, 8, 9. A man shall be commended according to his wisdom, but he that is of a perverse heart shall be despised. Better is he that is lightly esteemed and hath the servant, than he that honoreth himself and lacketh bread. Good sense wins respect from people, Proverbs tells us. But a perverse character is going to be loathed. It's going to be despised. It's interesting to me that the Hebrew word for wisdom that appears here in verse 8. A man shall be commended according to his wisdom. There's more than one Hebrew word for wisdom. There's kind of a distinct connotation for each one. This particular word refers to wise dealing, practical, good sense. It's the word that's used in 1st Samuel chapter 25 for Abigail. You remember the story of Abigail. That's an amazing thing, and I'd love to preach on it. I'll be careful not to give you that sermon now, but if I could summarize. David has sent his men to check with Nabal's men, actually with Nabal, about sheep that have been tended and about a proper relationship between these two herds. And when David's men go, Nabal proves to be a churlish man, a rude man, a man who cannot be reasoned with, who is angry all the time. And so he disdainfully treats the servants of David, who come back and report it to him. And David gathers his men and their weapons. They say, if he's going to treat the king like that, then we'll go take care of him. Abigail is the wife of Nabal. Poor Abigail, having to live with a man like this. Abigail, knowing that there's trouble brewing, goes out ahead of time with gifts and meets David and pleads for the life of her husband. Abigail had wisdom. Abigail had practical and sound advice for how to deal with a very bad situation. What we read in Proverbs 12:8 is that a man shall be commended according to that kind of wisdom. A man who knows how to get things done in a righteous way to secure peace. A man who has practical good sense will be commended. On the other hand, a perverse character is going to be despised of people. That contrast between practical good sense and the perverse character suggests, doesn't it, that a man with a perverse heart isn't able to think straight. A man with a perverse heart also is wrong headed, as it were. He doesn't know how to conduct his business in a good way, in a peaceful way, in a righteous way. People who do not think well, people who do not think properly, those who don't have the practical godly sense commended here are not going to be thought highly of. Act like a fool and watch what people think of you. That's what Proverbs is saying, have an unrighteous attitude. You're going to be despised. You're going to be treated with disgust or better avoided because people despise you. Turn to Proverbs 18:3. When the wicked comes, there comes also contempt, and with ignominy. Comes reproach. Very simply, sin has unavoidable traveling companions. When wickedness comes, three other things are going to come along with it. You have a wicked man come into the room, and what you bring in is shame and disgrace. Three different Hebrew terms. Why, they all basically have the same contempt, ignominy, reproach. When wickedness comes, reproach comes. It's very interesting to me, this reference to shame, because in Genesis 3 we read that the very first reaction of our first parents to their sin was shame, reproach. Daniel the 12:2 tells us that on the last day of history, the last day when God's judgment comes, the wicked will be resurrected to shame and everlasting contempt from beginning to end. The Bible stresses that sin brings shame and contempt. When wickedness comes, then right through the door comes with it this traveling companion of disgrace. Proverbs 24:8, 9. He that deviseth to do evil, men shall call him a mischief maker. The thought of foolishness is sin, and the scoffer is an abomination to men. These two verses speak of scheming wickedness. Verse 8. He that devises to do evil, and then scornful wickedness. Verse 9. The thought of foolishness is sin, and the scoffer is an abomination. Scheming and scornful wickedness. We read that the first of these will bring men to label you for what you are. They're going to call a spade a spade. You go around devising wicked things and you say, he's a mischief maker. Watch out for him. He's always looking to make trouble. The second proverb about scornful wickedness says, it will make you detestable to your fellow men. The underlying point is a very sharp one. Public opinion will sooner or later condemn the foolishness and mischief of our sins. Public opinion will catch up with you. Well, have you gotten the point then? I mean, Proverbs continues to come back at us about, if you want a good reputation, be righteous. Want your reputation to rot, be wicked. And there are various illustrations of that principle found throughout the book of Proverbs that we can't spend a lot of time on. But if I could go through just a handful of them. You notice that sin brings reproach. Various kinds of sin, too. Not just the ones that you may be thinking of. The sins of others that you're thinking of right now, or the really notable sins like adultery. No, all kinds of sin bring reproach. Proverbs 6, 33. Wounds and dishonors shall he get, and his reproach shall not be wiped away. Here we are talking about adultery. The man who commits adultery with another man's wife will gain for himself dishonor and a reproach that will not be wiped away. Remember that if you're tempted to adultery, remember that about the adulterers. You know their reproach will not be wiped away. Let that come into your mind as you're contemplating and calculating and weighing whether you really want to be involved in that kind of behavior. Please turn tape over at this time, then Proverbs 11:26 another illustration concrete he that withholdeth grain, the people shall curse him, but blessing shall be upon the head of him that selleth it. The person who withholds grain, or any other commodity for that matter, any other market item, as a calculated act to force up the price, will gain a terrible reputation. It's going to provoke the general public to utter curses against him. And the word means to utter an imprecation that God himself will hear. They will curse you to God when you try to manipulate the market in this particular way. But note the contrasting blessing that adorns the head of those who are willing to sell, those who use the free market as a way of meeting each party's needs without artificial extortions, without gouging in those things that are necessary to life. Imagine what would happen if someone had extra water during a drought and then sold it at just an exorbitant price to his neighbors. But before he sold it, he held back and held back and held back so that parched tongues were getting swollen and painful, and so desperate for the water that they would be willing to finally pay his high price. Now, what do you think is going to happen when a man gets water in that way? Do you think he's going to be a prisoner appreciative of the person who has sold it, you say. Well, he should be. After all, he'd die if he didn't get it. Well, that may be true, but the fact is he was so unrighteous and taking advantage of people that what they're going to do is they're going to spit it out and curse you. Proverbs 24, verse 24 gives us another illustration of how concrete sins bring a bad reputation. He that saith unto the wicked, thou art righteous. People shall curse him. Nations shall abhor him when someone anyone, but especially a judge, when someone distorts the truth and commends a wicked man for supposed righteousness. And boy, that happens all the time in our society. The wicked are made out to be such good citizens, you know, and they're given their nice little plaques that hang in their office, the office where they scheme and gouge and do all these terrible things to others. When someone distorts the truth and commends a wicked man for his supposed righteousness, the one who is expressing that perverted opinion will himself be abhorred by people. Indeed, he'll be abhorred by nations. Proverbs says, think about that. If you don't have the proper opinion of someone else, then you're going to get a bad name for yourself. We are to assess men's reputations accurately, because if we don't, our own reputation will suffer tremendously. Proverbs 25:10, Verse 9 tells us the situation. Debate thy cause with thy neighbor himself, and disclose not the secret of another, lest he that heareth it revile thee in thine infamy. Turn not away. Another way in which we can gain a bad reputation, which is hard to shake, is to criticize someone to others rather than to the alleged offender himself. Well, it's amazing, because it seems to me this may be the number one sin in the Christian church. We felt a little more comfortable talking about people gouging people in the free market, or talking about adulterers are about judges who pervert justice. But now it comes right home, doesn't it? You go talking behind someone's back against them. The Bible says you're going to get a bad reputation, and it's going to be one that you can't shake, because when the gossip gets back to your foe, he's going to expose your nastiness and perhaps your lies, and that will lead him to revile you in such a way that you pick up an infamous reputation that just won't go away. So watch your tongue, or else the tongues of others will speak ill of you for a very long time. One more illustration. Proverbs 26:26. Though his hatred cover itself with guile, his wickedness shall be openly showed before the assembly. Another way to bring upon yourself public shame and a bad reputation is to act hypocritically. You see, the person who hates another man, but deceitfully covers it over by fair and flattering speech is going to be exposed in his pretense. His wickedness will be openly showed before the assembly. Now, what do we learn from all this? Okay, we've been going through these particular illustrations. Do you get the general point, the underlying drift? Are you wise enough to see what God wants you to know? A very Good summary of it all is found in Proverbs 22:1, a passage that makes it unmistakably clear that we are to strive for a good name. There we read, a good name is rather to be chosen than great riches and loving favor, rather than silver and gold. In choosing what you will try to achieve in life, you should place a good name above those things which would please yourself, such as pleasures, pleasures of power, pleasures of wealth. Now this is very amazing, and I've got to drive this home to you. Proverbs elsewhere commends the industry which aims at financial prosperity. It actually sees it as one of the rewards of righteousness. And that makes this present passage an even stronger recommendation of a good reputation. Because though Proverbs says you should strive for riches and be industrious, and God will bless the righteous with them, it says a good name is better. In fact, we're going to learn later in my sermon on a Righteous View of Riches that if you strive for riches and that's all you're interested in, you won't get a good name. As a matter of fact, a good name is better than riches. More highly to be desired. The Westminster Larger Catechism uses this very text to substantiate that portion of question 144 which teaches us that among the duties required in the ninth Commandment is, and I quote, love and care of our own good name. Did you know your catechism teaches you that? The Larger Catechism says it's a duty of the ninth commandment to love and care for your good name. And then it cites this. A good name is rather to be chosen than riches. The answer to question 144 actually begins with these words. The duties required in the ninth Commandment are the preserving and promoting of the good name of our neighbor as well as our own. In the very next question in the Catechism 145, we are taught that the sins forbidden in the Ninth Commandment include all prejudicing the good name of our neighbor as well as our own and practicing, not avoiding in ourselves such things as procure an ill name. Very well put. A good name is better than riches is to be preferred above wealth. The moral value of a good reputation is made evident by this. And so, though we may have initially been inclined this morning to say, no, I'm not supposed to worry about my reputation. I'm just supposed to be righteous and let the chips fall where they may, it's not that simple. And this isn't just the Old Testament. That tells us this. It's a New Testament truth too. The New Testament agrees that the moral character of our actions will be visibly observed and weighed. First Timothy 5:24 25 says, Some men's sins are evident going before unto judgment. In like manner also there are good works which are evident, and those which are otherwise cannot be hid. Those works that are not good and righteous can't be hid. The moral quality of them will be seen. And the New Testament teaches us, just as Proverbs, the obligation of seeking a reputation for moral integrity. Romans 2:24 speaks of it being a reproach against us that the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you. You take God's name upon yourself. Don't let his name be blasphemed among the Gentiles, the unbelieving world, because of your behavior. And that very language is used in 1st Timothy 6:1 of Christian servants who don't honor their earthly masters. It says that they blaspheme the name of God in the world. The moral value of a good reputation then is clear. First Timothy 3, 7 says, It's a requirement for ordained office in the Christian church that a man have a good testimony from them that are without. You say, well, but I'm not going to get ordained, so I guess I don't have to worry about that. No, no. More generally, Romans 12, verse 17 instructs us, Take thought for things honorable in the sight of all men. That's why Paul commenced his own ministry. In 2nd Corinthians 8. He says he has taken thought for things honorable not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men. In the very same vein within the Christian church, in Romans 14:18, Paul speaks of those who show considerate behavior toward their weaker brothers. And he says, he that herein serves Christ is well pleasing to God, and and approved of men. So you see how the New Testament, just as much as the book of Proverbs, would have us take concern for our moral reputation. You will be known for the quality of your life. And if you want a good reputation, you'd better be known for principle, wisdom and righteousness. The unified testimony of God's word tells you that problem is, you haven't got a good reputation. Neither have I. The fact is that none of us before men, and especially before God, has a good reputation. And so all this that I've been telling you seems to be nothing but a depressing weight of guilt upon your conscience to tell you that you're rotten and your reputation stuck. Thanks. Yeah, I'm supposed to be working for righteousness and a good reputation, Pastor, but I haven't got it. And people know what I am. And I've blown it in so many ways. What can you tell me? Well, I want to tell you something very precious here as we end this morning. I want to tell you what Isaiah said, the 53rd chapter of his prophecy, speaking of the Messiah who would come. Do you remember these words? He was despised and rejected of men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. And as one from whom men hide their face, he was despised and we esteemed him not. Surely he hath borne our griefs and carried our sorrows. Yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions. He was bruised for our iniquities. The chastisement of our peace was upon him. And with his stripes we are healed all. We, like sheep, have gone astray. We have turned every one to his own way, and Jehovah hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. You know what I find comforting about this? Of course, you know the central message, that our iniquities and the guilt of our sin has been laid on the Savior. But you notice how he was despised and our reproaches rested upon him. You see, Christ took our bad reputation upon himself. Christ forsook his own reputation to remove the reproach that was due to our name. Christ took our bad reputation. Christ took our bad reputation record. Christ took our rotten sin upon himself. I love this passage. Indeed, it's the only comfort I know in life or in death. Because, you know, if I were to try to establish a good reputation and scheme how I could get people to like me and to see me, it wouldn't work. And when I go out to try to be righteous, I. I find that when I am righteous, the wicked revile me. And so often I'm not righteous. And the wicked and the righteous both see what a bad reputation I have. So the only hope I really have is to keep looking to Jesus Christ and to thank him repeatedly, day by day, that the reproaches that are due to me, he took on himself. I hope you'll remember that. Just as an aside, when you hear people swearing and using the name of your Savior and reproaching his name, I hope you'll have the guts to tell them, you just don't know him, do you? Because if you did, you wouldn't talk about him that way, the reproaches you heap upon him really belong to me. And it's to my everlasting benefit that he loved me enough to give up his name that I might be given a new one. Let's pray. Father, we are overwhelmed at your goodness that you should be willing to take people with such a terrible track record and such bad reputations and call them your children and welcome them into your home and make them members of the Kingdom of God. Now, we thank you today that our Savior Jesus Christ did not spare himself, but was willing to take reproach and reviling upon himself. We thank you that he was willing to give up his good, deservedly good, reputation for the sake of those whose reputation really stinks. We thank you for saving us. And we do pray that you would give us the wisdom of Proverbs today, that we would not be blind to the need for tact and for practical good sense and proper timing and a peaceful spirit, as well as a dedication to principle as we conduct ourselves in this world. That we would not be blind to the need for securing a good reputation according to righteousness. And Lord, help us to stay away from all those many sins, sins of so many different sorts that we've read about today, knowing that your word warns us that if we engage in the perversity of such ways, our reputations indeed will be exposed, our name will be known for what it is, and the memory of us will. Will rot. Keep us from that. We pray so that as we come before you on the final day, as we stand there remembering with gratitude the work of our Savior and the power of His Spirit in our lives, that you might look upon us, that you might see a changed and new reputation, and that you might say, well done, good and faithful servant. For we pray in Jesus name, Name, Amen.