Of reputation, character & riches
By Patrick
Enilama [pastorpatrick@sunnewsonline.com]
"A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favour rather than silver and gold" Prov. 22:1
For those who want to make
it big and quick; life on the fast lane is fraught with dangers. A single newspaper
report gives you your reputation; but a life of toil gives you your character.
While reputation may make you rich or poor; character makes you happy or miserable.
Reputation
is what you need to get a job; character is what you need to keep it. The reputation
of your referee may help you climb to a big time job but your character will sustain
you. Reputation about some one is learned in an hour; but your character does
not come to light for a year.
Infact reputation is what you have when you come
to a new community; character is what you have when you go away. Those who know
you even after you have left kept talking about your character.
Another
way of saying it is that reputation is the photograph while character is the picture
or face of a photograph.
Brethren reputation is very vital. Joseph had both
character and reputation. Pontiphar’s wife could not dent it. He kept both
reputation and character.Reputation is what you are supposed to be and character
is what you are. That is why some people even after they had left an office they
are still fondly remembered. Thus a man has three names; the name he inherited;
the name his parents gave him and the name he made for himself.
The craze
for quick wealth / political power has made many Nigerians to loose reputation.
Put political power and material wealth side by side with reputation a good number
of Nigerians will go for the former.
In Nigeria may do not care about
their reputation. The craze for political power is unlimited. The craze for material
prosperity had led many to do the unthinkable. But we know it is better to have
a good name rather than to cling unto power.
Mr. Tony Blair, Great Britain
Prime Minister for over ten ears told the world on Thursday that is better to
stand down from power than to hold on to power at all cost.
A reputation may
be repaired, but people always keep their eyes on the place where the crack is
for no man is rich enough to buy back his past. In Nigeria many would want to
paper over their past – at least – with money. Yet it is never forgotten.
Let us hope that President-elect Yar-Adua administration will place emphasis
on integrity and reputation in public policy. If President Obasanjo cannot leave
us with a good reputation let us hope the incoming administration will do better.
The best inheritance parents can leave a child is a good name. Believe it or not
no man can become suddenly rich. But covenant prosperity is possible. Wealth that
is transferable from generation to generation: Abraham was great. Isaac was very
great and Jacob was exceedingly great. This is covenant wealth.
We have had
Executive Governors: who may soon become executive beggars after EFCC had dealt
with them. We have had permanent secretaries who today are permanent baggers.
The late Arch Bishop Benson Idahosa of blessed memory described prosperity
"as having it to use when you need it" Riches are not an end of life.
Great wealth and contentment seldom live together. To be content with what we
possess is the greatest and most secure of riches. The choice is yours.