“The people gave him a great ovation, shouting, ‘It’s the voice of a god, not of a man!’ Instantly, an angel of the Lord struck Herod with a sickness, because he accepted the people’s worship instead of giving the glory to God. So he was consumed with worms and died.” (Acts 12:22-23 NLT)
Everyone loves to be praised, encouraged, and made to feel like their life counts. Some, of course, like Herod of old, more than others, but each of us likes to know we’ve been noticed and appreciated. The sad truth is, some thrive on recognition, seek it and are discouraged and sometimes devastated if they don’t receive enough of it. Therein lies the issue: when is “enough” enough?
Solomon gives us insight when he wrote in Proverbs 27:2: Let someone else praise you, not your own mouth – a stranger, not your own lips.” Then in verse 21: “Fire tests the purity of silver and gold, but a person is tested by being praised.” The word in verse 21 translated “being praised” can also be translated “by flattery.” When praise is empty or sought after it too often becomes simple flattery based on obligation or devotion, not reality.
Again, Solomon, addresses our need for honesty when he writes in Proverbs 27:6: Wounds from a sincere friend are better than many kisses from an enemy.” While criticism stings and can hurt our feelings, it’s the ointment of true friendship. Norman Vincent Peale addresses a real issue when he wrote: “The trouble with most of us is that we would rather be ruined by praise than saved by criticism.”
Only someone who truly loves us will be honest about what they see in us. Yes, of course, critics will rant and rave about our faults, but too often their assessment isn’t accurate simply because they don’t like us and are looking for ways to tear us down. Friends, on the other hand, are looking for ways to build us up, especially in our walk with the Lord Jesus.
Obviously, this is a delicate subject, as most of us are hypersensitive and take great pride in the things we believe we’re good at or about which we strongly feel we’re right. Unfortunately, there are areas of Scripture that are simply not clear to the untrained eye, and, even then, are open to legitimate differences in interpretation.
How much more in our observations of one another. There are things about myself I don’t like and wish I could change, but the fact is the Lord made us all different for good reason, but those differences don’t make anyone better than any other person, especially not another person of God.
Something that really bothers me is when someone criticizes or laughs at someone who has another native language when they mispronounce a word they are struggling to speak in English. Having visited in foreign cultures and struggled to learn the simplest words or phrases in their language, the Lord has given me great respect for anyone who knows and speaks English as a second language.
Similarly, when someone is a new believer and someone criticizes or demeans them because they still wrestle with a sin with which they are struggling to be free. For years I struggled with lust. I despised myself yet couldn’t find an answer until God in his mercy put someone in my life who walked with me into healing and freedom from its deadly tentacles.
“Lord, give us one person who will love us enough to be honest with us about what they see, but who will patiently endure our excuses and failures until we submit to Your Lordship and allow YOU to do in and through us what we can never in eternity do for ourselves.”
Food for thought.
Blessings, Ed 😊
Walking With Jesus 