What Would God Write about Your Reputation?

1 Chronicles 2:3-7 -  The sons of Judah: Er, Onan and Shelah. These three were born to him by a Canaanite woman, the daughter of Shua. Er, Judah's firstborn, was wicked in the LORD's sight; so the LORD put him to death.  Tamar, Judah's daughter-in-law, bore him Perez and Zerah. Judah had five sons in all.  The sons of Perez: Hezron and Hamul. 6 The sons of Zerah: Zimri, Ethan, Heman, Calcol and Darda--five in all.  The son of Carmi: Achar, who brought trouble on Israel by violating the ban on taking devoted things.

 

The long list of names continues…giving the names of many sons… the women that married them…and a few of the daughters that were born to these couples.  The writer of this genealogy…whom many scholars believe to be Ezra…stops only twice to mention two men who had made God very mad.  Their reputations of evil mentioned…perhaps as examples of personalities not to imitate.

 

Er was an evil man….much like the many kings we read about in Kings.  We are not given any details about Er’s death…he is only mentioned in the Bible 7 other times… 4 times in Genesis… once in Numbers...one other time in 1 Chronicles…and the final time in Luke. As the husband of Tamar….he introduced the evil of other gods to some of the Israelites and God was so mad he allowed him to be killed.

 

Achar was not much better…he also had a reputation for being rebellious…not following a ban put on the spoils of a war.  Achar…called Achan in the Joshua 7 text….took and hid much of the loot God told the army to leave. His sin  was exposed in an inquiry…but God allowed him to be put to death for his sins….probably by stoning.

 

It seems that they were such bad examples that God saw fit to include a tidbit of their stories in the long list of names. Perhaps as a reminder of the separation we experience when we go our own way…and exclude God from our lives.  Perhaps as a reminder to guard our reputations a little more closely from things that might influence others the wrong way. 

 

I am thinking of the discussion the disciples had with Jesus about this very problem. In Matthew 18….Jesus’ own words were recorded in verses 6-7…. “ But if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a large millstone hung around his neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.  "Woe to the world because of the things that cause people to sin! Such things must come, but woe to the man through whom they come!” Pretty serious words…that speak strongly to my heart this morning.  I need to examine my ways…to make sure that nothing I have said or done….causes anyone else to sin.

 

Father…I thank you for allowing these two men to be included in your list of important names.  I thank you for the reminder that my reputation speaks what I believe about you…and I should guard it from evil of all kinds.  Help me father to search my heart for things that might not speak love to those around me…so you can help me purge it from my life…before I cause anyone else to sin with my thoughts…actions…or writings.  Amen.