29 verses opening with one of the Bible's most celebrated statements about reputation, and closing with the wisdom of diligent work.
Proverbs 22 opens with a verse that has shaped how Christians think about reputation for millennia: a good name is more desirable than great riches; to be esteemed is better than silver or gold. What people know you for matters more than what you own.
Verse 6 is one of the most debated parenting verses in Scripture: start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it. Parents who invest faithfully in their children's moral formation are making an investment whose returns may take decades to appear.
The chapter closes with verse 29: do you see someone skilled in their work? They will serve before kings. Excellence in your craft opens doors that connections and status alone cannot.
Boaz and Ruth both had good names that preceded them. Ruth's reputation for loyalty to Naomi had spread throughout Bethlehem. Boaz's character was evident in how he treated his workers and the poor. Their great-grandson was King David.