169. Encourage Others With Praise

Proverbs 27-29

Let another man praise thee, and not thine own mouth; a stranger, and not thine own lips.     As the fining pot for silver, and the furnace for gold; so is a man to his praise.              Proverbs 27:2,21

Praise can be a tricky thing. It is something that most desire but cannot give ones self. There is so much pride all around us and the Bible warns that pride is a horrible thing. It is the source of all contention and it causes destruction. To praise ourselves and brag about who we are or what we do is prideful. But here it says to let other people do it. When someone pays you a compliment, you should let them, but your own praise shouldn’t come out of your own mouth and lips. You may have heard it said that you need to be careful praising others so they don't get a big head, or become full of pride. But verse twenty one says that when you praise someone, it's like when gold and silver get heated, the dross removed, and the metal becomes more pure. When you compliment someone else it'll encourage them and make them better. Do you take the time to praise others where praise is due? Are you gracious about the praise that you receive? Do you let others praise you or refuse their compliments? You should be using praise as one way to edify others, not yourself.