Proverbs 22:1 “A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favour rather than silver and gold.”
If you’ve been a member for any length of time at Immanuel, you’ve heard preaching on how the world is materialistically driven in our age. The philosophy of consumption and accruing possessions is instilled in everyone through advertisements, conditioning and the lust of the flesh. The thing that separates this generation of Christians from those gone by is subject of this verse.
Solomon makes clear the inherent riches of a good name and having loving favour. One cannot truly have a good name if their utmost priority is to gain as much as possible in the world. Compared to the scriptures, the love of money is the root of all evil; thus, someone solely devoted to acquiring wealth will do whatever evil is necessary to attain sad riches. Additionally, those who are driven by the wealth of the world cannot have a good name because they regard iniquity in the heart towards God by refusing to allow Him to have the preeminence in their life. My light will not shine nor can I become the salt of the earth if I mimic the world and have the same desires of the world.
The reason that Christians today seek the riches of the world, and by doing tarnish their name, is because of the latter part of this verse. They value the riches of the world higher than the loving favour of God. Do not mistake me, God is love and loves all. Yet, His all power love towards His children cannot be shown if those children are not in the Father’s favour. If we are outside the will of God, we are not I His favour. If we disobey, we are not in favour. If we remove God from the throne of our hearts and replace Him with something else (i.e. – pursuing riches) we are not in His favour.
The reason that most Christians go through the motions, the reason that most churches are spiritually dead, the reason that we have not seen revival in America over the last 100 years is because Christians have devalued the opportunity to have the loving favour of God. The reason that the Christians of bygone generations submitted to the death of martyrs is because they would rather have the loving favour of God than their own life in the flesh. The reason that the founding fathers of the United States framed our government upon Judeo-Christian principles is because they wanted our nation to have the loving favour of God. The reason that David, John, Paul, Silas, Stephen, and so many others in the Bible were able to endure such persecution is because they still possessed the most valuable thing in their life … the loving favour of God.
If we truly desired to see God heal our land and send a great revival, the likes of which have never been seen before, we would cling to the loving favour of our heavenly Father more earnestly than our next breath.
During the American Revolution, Patrick Henry said, “Give me liberty, or give me death.” As Christian Soldiers, we should all cry, “Give me Jesus and His loving favour, or give me death.”
Your fellowservant in Christ,
Bro. Jordan Foster
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