Proverbs 12:8; 27:2 (CB)

A person is praised according to their prudence, and one with a warped mind is despised. . . . Let someone else praise you, and not your own mouth; an outsider, and not your own lips. (Proverbs 12:8, 27:2)

PRAISE. Self-praise from your own mouth almost always backfires. It makes others less willing to give you credit. “Pride . . . is his own trumpet, And yet, as 27:2 implies and as 12:8 states, faith communities should find ways of regularly praising and appreciating one another, since we do need genuine, truthful praise. 31:10–31 gives us the words of a husband delighting to praise his wife in detail for her virtues. The church should be the place where people praise one another and not ourselves. The honor we have in Christ (Eph 1:19; Jn 17:23, cf. Jn 12:43) means that we cease to worry about how much attention we are getting from others and can devote ourselves to building up those around us (Ro 12:10). Only God’s praise [in Christ] cannot corrupt. If we are assured in the gospel that we have the acclaim and delight of God through Christ, then we won’t be constantly hungry for praise, we won’t resent when it is not there, and we won’t be puffed up by it when it comes. And we can be generous with it—the humblest people praise others the most. Are you quick to praise and affirm others? Ask someone you know well if you are good at it.

Prayer: Lord, it is astounding that while I myself am a sinner, in Christ I actually receive your praise and delight (Ro 2:29). Let that be sufficient to my soul, so that I readily thank and praise others. Amen.