"Good name in a man and woman . . .
is the immediate jewel of their souls.
Who steals my purse steals trash. . . .
But he that filches from me my good name
Robs me of that which not enriches him,
And makes me poor indeed."
(Iago in Shakespeare's Othello)

You lose much more than a good name

Joseph could have spoken Iago's words from his Egyptian jail cell.

Things were not always so bleak for Joseph, son of Israel. You'll remember how the Lord had blessed the young man's honesty and industriousness so that his master, Potiphar, elevated him to personal attendant. Joseph became the manager of all Potiphar owned.

When Potiphar's wife didn't get what she wanted from Joseph, her rage was predictable. Suddenly, all the good Joseph had done was forgotten. Even the coat he left behind while fleeing her advances was used as 'Exhibit A' in his prosecution.

What could Potiphar do now that his wife's shameless accusation was planted in his ear? His choices were clouded by his wife's lies and deception. He "burned with anger" and had Joseph thrown into prison.

The loss of a good name was only the first in a staggering inventory of Joseph's losses. He lost Potiphar's friendship, a good job, and his freedom. Had it not been for God's protection, Joseph might have lost even his life.

How many people since then haven't lost a job, a friendship, a happy marriage, or an estate because confidences were betrayed, or lies were spread?

No wonder Dr. Luther includes the loss of our reputation as one of the great evils from which we plead deliverance in the last petition of the Lord's Prayer!

Satan uses slander to tear down relationships

In fact, slander is as old as sin. It was the arrow Satan drew from his quiver when he plotted the murder of the human race. The Father of Lies slandered God by questioning God's loving care for Adam and Eve.

Ever since, slander has been his weapon of choice. From tabloids to talk shows to telephone chatter, it excites the most vile nature of the human heart by spying into the abuses of others or inventing faults that don't exist. If there is some truth to an accusation, all the better. All that matters to the accuser is that a trial is held, character witnesses are called, and a verdict is reached before the defendant knows he has been indicted.

Finally, what does a malicious tongue gain from all of this? He's not a cent richer for it. The eternal torment he earns is no less unbearable. If anything, he has gained the diabolical satisfaction of having torn down someone for whom Jesus died. He delights in discord between brethren and estrangement from God. When this desire arises in our hearts, we ought to recognize it as the will of the Father Below.

Jesus reverses the process