In 1991, Gerald Ratner was the CEO of a highly successful, multi-million-dollar British jewelry chain that bore his family’s name, built entirely on selling affordable jewelry to everyday people. During a speech to a prestigious business group, he attempted to inject humor but instead committed a catastrophic public relations error. When describing how his company’s products could be sold at such low prices, he joked that the items were of exceptionally poor quality, adding that a set of their earrings was cheaper than a prawn sandwich from a local grocery store, but the sandwich would likely last longer. His careless comments quickly went viral through the media. This was an incredible feat in the pre-internet era, causing immediate public outrage among his loyal, working-class customer base who felt insulted. Almost overnight, the company’s market value plummeted by £500 million, which was equivalent to approximately $875 million USD at the time. This massive loss forced hundreds of store closures and compelled the firm to completely change its name to erase the family identity and survive. This shows how easily a name can be ruined. With his own mouth, he robbed his family’s company of its dignity and value.
Following the immediate public backlash, the long-term consequences for the business were staggering. Sales plummeted so drastically that the company fell into severe debt, forcing the permanent closure of more than 300 stores across both the United Kingdom and the United States. The corporate reputation became so toxic that the board of directors made a radical choice to survive. In 1993, they officially scrubbed the family identity from every single storefront and renamed the business the Signet Group. Interestingly, that company survived its rebranding and grew into Signet Jewelers, which is now the largest diamond jewelry retailer in the world, owning massive household brands like Kay Jewelers, Zales, and Jared. The original name, however, was permanently erased from the commercial world.
This is just one example of how a name carries reputation, and how quickly that reputation can be damaged by the actions of the one who bears it.
The story of Gerald Ratner reminds us that a name has value. It represents a reputation that can take decades to build and only moments to destroy. That same principle helps us understand one of the most misunderstood commandments in Scripture.
The third commandment is found in Exodus 20: 7 Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain; for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.
We’ve heard this quoted it, placed it on signs, placards, etc. Do we understand it though? We often apply this commandment to using God’s name carelessly or irreverently in our speech. While that application certainly fits the spirit of the command, its meaning reaches even deeper.
In the ancient Near East, a name wasn’t just a label, it represented a person’s core essence, authority, and reputation.
The Hebrew phrase translated as “take” (nasa) actually means “to carry,” “bear,” or “lift up.” The word for “in vain” (shav) means “emptily,” “falsely,” or “worthlessly.”
The commandment certainly includes how we speak about God, but it also reaches beyond our words to the way we represent Him with our lives. If we claim to belong to God while living in a way that contradicts His character, we bear His name in vain.
Using God’s name “emptily” also means reducing the Creator to a tool, a magical formula, or even a good-luck charm, something we keep around only because we think it might bring us good fortune. It happens when people treat prayer like a vending machine, using holy words merely to get what they want without any desire for a genuine relationship with God or submission to His will. It strips His Name of its weight, holiness, and glory.
Ultimately, this commandment isn’t about just watching what you say. It is a profound call to integrity, asking us to ensure that our internal character and external actions match the holiness of the Name we claim to follow.
Every believer, in a sense, is a brand representative. Every day we carry the name of Christ into our homes, workplaces, schools, neighborhoods, and communities. Whether we realize it or not, people often form their impressions of God by watching those who claim to belong to Him.
That is why the third commandment is so much more than a warning about careless speech. It is a call to faithfully represent the God whose name we bear. Our words matter, but so do our attitudes, our integrity, our compassion, and the way we treat others. Every part of our lives either honors His name or empties it of the reverence it deserves.
Paul echoed this same principle when he wrote,
And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him (Colossians 3:17 KJV).
We cannot control what everyone thinks about God, but we can strive to make sure that our lives reflect His character. Every part of our lives has the opportunity to honor or dishonor the Name by which we are called. May we never bear His name carelessly, but with the honor, reverence, and holiness that such a glorious Name deserves.
1 Chronicles 16:29 (ESV)
Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name; bring an offering and come before him! Worship the LORD in the splendor of holiness.
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