DAILY TEXT, Friday, May 23, 2025, A good reputation is preferable to great riches (Prov. 22:1).

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Friday May 23, 2025

A good reputation is preferable to great riches (Prov. 22:1).

Imagine someone you care about says something terrible about you. You know it is a lie, but some believe it and, what is worse, they begin to repeat it and the lie spreads. How would it feel? Surely very bad, isn't it? This example can help us understand how Jehovah felt when one of his spiritual children lied about him and tarnished his reputation. Eve believed that lie and, as a result, our first parents rebelled against Jehovah. Because of this, all human beings sin and eventually die (Gen. 3:1-6; Rom. 5:12). In fact, the lies that Satan has spread have caused all the problems in the world, such as death, wars, and suffering. Without a doubt, Jehovah feels very bad because of all these lies and their consequences. But that hasn't made him bitter or resentful. On the contrary, the Bible says that he remains the “happy God” (1 Tim. 1:11). w24.02 8 paras. 1, 2.

What privilege do we have?

We have the privilege of helping to vindicate or defend Jehovah's name. How? Obeying the following command: “Praise the name of the Lord” (Ps. 113:1). And how is that done? Speaking well of the person who bears that holy name. Do you feel the desire to do it? Let's look at three powerful reasons that will motivate us to praise the name of God with all our hearts.

Explain with an example why Jehovah feels happy when we praise him (see also the image).

Jehovah is our heavenly Father, and he loves it when we praise his name (Ps. 119:108). Does this mean that the almighty God is like imperfect human beings, who seek praise from others to feel better or less insecure? No. To understand this better, imagine a little girl who approaches her father, gives him a big hug, and says, “You are the best dad in the world!” The father is happy, even moved, by such a sincere display of affection. Why? Does he feel insecure and need his little girl’s praise to boost his self-esteem? Of course not. He is simply a father who loves to see his daughter love him and show her gratitude. He also knows that these qualities will make her happier when she grows up. Similarly, Jehovah—the best father there is—is delighted when we praise him.

What do we demonstrate when we praise Jehovah?

Satan has told a lie that affects us personally. It states that no human being will be loyal or defend the name of God when put to the test. According to him, we will all turn our backs on God if we feel that it will benefit us (Job 1:9-11; 2:4). But faithful Job showed that Satan is a liar. What about us? When we praise Jehovah, we also prove that Satan is wrong. For each of us it is a privilege to defend Jehovah's name and make him happy by being upright (Prov. 27:11).

How can we imitate King David and the Levites? (Nehemiah 9:5).

Those who love God are moved to praise his name wholeheartedly. King David wrote: “Praise the Lord, my soul; let all that is within me praise his holy name” (Ps. 103:1). David understood that praising the name of Jehovah is the same as praising Jehovah. To talk about his name is to talk about his reputation, his beautiful qualities and his wonderful works. David wanted to treat his Father's name as holy and praise him. He said he wanted to do it with everything that was inside him, that is, with his entire being. The Levites also took the initiative and praised Jehovah. They humbly recognized that words fell short of the praise that his holy name deserves (read Nehemiah 9:5). How happy Jehovah must have felt to hear those heartfelt and sincere praises!

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