1  A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches, and favour is better than silver or gold. 2 The rich and the poor meet together; the Lord is the maker of them all.

3 The prudent sees danger and hides himself, but the simple go on and suffer for it. 4 The reward for humility and fear of the Lord is riches and honour and life. 5 Thorns and snares are in the way of the crooked; whoever guards his soul will keep far from them.

6 Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it. (Proverbs 22:1-6 English Standard Version)

What's more important to you, your money or your reputation? That seems to be the implication of vs 1. And I think that when he speaks of 'favour', it's not just in the eyes of man, but of God. We're told that a man in the Old Testament named David 'found favour in the sight of God' when he asked for permission to find a place to build a temple for the Lord. (Acts 7:46) He was the sort of man that vs 4 of today's reading speaks of, humble and God fearing. But there's another reason, in vs 2, why a good reputation is worth more than many riches. Why is that?

Because riches don't impress God or make anyone better than others. In fact, the apostle James had to rebuke Christians who were favouring rich people, and looking down on the poor, when he said: “Listen, my beloved brothers, has not God chosen those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he has promised to those who love him? “ (James 2:5) So what is needed if we are to be people who seek a good reputation and favour in God's sight, rather than the wealth the world runs after? (vs 3-5)

Verse 4 reminds us that riches, in themselves, aren't evil. Hard and honest work, blessed by God, can lead to prosperity that lazy people never see. The apostle Paul said it's “the love of money” that is “a root of all kinds of evils” - and it's through such craving that some wander away from the faith and pierce themselves with many pangs. (1 Timothy 6:10) Verse 3 tells us that a prudent person (i.e. careful and thoughtful) is aware when their life is in danger (even from temptation) and takes steps to avoid it. Riches, and anything which people put before God, can be like thorns and snares. So what is it that a humble and God fearing person is seeking to carefully guard? (vs 5)

They keep watch over their soul. Our soul is the very essence of who we are. It is the believer's soul that leaves the body behind at death and goes to be with the Saviour. No wonder Jesus told a story of a man whose land had an extremely productive year, so much so that he had to build more space to store it all. And the man said: “I will say to my soul, Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.” But God said to him: “Fool! This night your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?” Jesus brought home the point of that story by saying “So is the one who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich towards God.” (Luke 12:19-21)

In Proverbs 24 the writer speaks of people who ignore the plight of others around them who are in desperate need, and then use the excuse that they “were not aware of the problem.” He says: “Doesn’t He who weighs the heart perceive it? Doesn’t He who keeps watch over your soul know it? And will He not repay man according to his work?” (Proverbs 24:12)

The human soul is a precious treasure - worth far more than gold - and something we need to keep watch over and guard. God has given us help for this in the form of faithful shepherds. Hebrews 13:7 says: “Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping  watch over  your souls.” And even more wonderful, the apostle Peter writes of Christians as being people “who were straying like sheep, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.” (1 Peter 2:25) Verse 6 of today's reading reminds us that these are truths we must also bring our children up with - and help them to put into practice. Their soul is more precious than gold!