The Chairman of the Church of Pentecost, Apostle Eric Nyamekye, has urged political leaders, and Ghanaians in general, to seek after good names rather than desiring material wealth.
He said leaving behind a good name was a better legacy and not the wealth amassed at the expense of the people they serve.
He, has, therefore, reminded them of the need to use the time and the positions they occupied as an opportunity to look out for and speak up for the welfare of the people.
“Your name is your best asset and please value it; it is not your position, your child or your asset,” he said.
Good name’s priceless
In an exhortation at the 2023 Festival of Nine Lessons and Carol in Parliament last Thursday, Apostle Nyamekye said, “Things like good health is better than money, peace is better than money, wisdom is better than money but the greatest of all is good name.
“In Proverbs 22:1, good name is more desirable than great riches and to be esteemed is better than silver or gold. So, a good name is far esteemed than stature.”
“A good name towers above education and a great name does not only bring security to the bearer of the name but it buys things money cannot buy for you like favours and invoking blessings on one’s descendants,” he said.
This year’s celebration, was on the theme “Our God reigns.”
It attracted people from all walks of life including the Vice President, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia and the Chief Justice, Justice Gertrude Torkornoo.
Serve humanity
Reading from Job 29:7-12, the Church of Pentecost chairman told the gathering that Job gained pre-eminence due to how he rescued the poor who cried for help, the fatherless who had none to assist them, made the widows’ hearts sing as well as put on righteousness as his clothing and justice as his robe.
“When the people saw Job coming, they stood up because he always went down to pick up the poor and invested into human beings. Mother Theresa worked in ghettos but when she died, the whole world stood up in honour of her. Please good names are better than great positions,” he said.
Suggesting how one could have a good name as a legacy, Apostle Nyamekye advised those in power and with authority to serve humanity, live and work for the good of people.
“If leaders work for the good of the people, you are pre-eminent and you will be held in high esteem and when you are gone your name will live on.
“Jesus, who has the name above every other name, made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant being made in human likeness and being found in an appearance as a man, humbled himself by becoming obedient to death, even death on the cross.
“As a result, God exalted him above every other name,” Apostle Nyamekye said, telling the gathering that all that a person would become was vested in his name.
Lessons
The first lesson was read by the Clerk-to-Parliament, Cyril Kwabena Nsiah, the second lesson by the Director-General of GBC, Professor Amin Alhassan, the third lesson by the Executive Director of the Ghana Union of the Blind, Dr Peter Obeng-Awuah, the fourth by NCCE Chairperson, Kathleeen Addy, the fifth lesson by Dr Ato Forson, with by Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bons reading the sixth lesson.
The Chief Justice, Mrs Justice Torkornoo read the seventh lesson, with Mr Bagbin and Dr Bawumia reading the eighth and ninth lessons respectively.