PRAISE WHERE IT'S DUE

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In Christ, Mark

The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.

Let someone else praise you, and not your own mouth; an outsider, and not your own lips.

Proverbs 27:2   

This ends this reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.

“Don’t toot your own horn.”

I remember my mother saying this to me on more than one occasion.

Ironically, I was a very good trumpet player in high school, sitting in the number one chair in my band’s trumpet section my last three years of high school. I was number two as a freshman. I was good and knew it. The problem was that I became too puffed up from my talent and would sometimes let my boasting get the best of me.

Thus my mother’s wise counsel to not toot my own horn. She would go on to tell me that I need not sing my own praises because others, who appreciated the talent I had, would do so for me. And she was right.

This whole experience was brought back to mind as I read the words of Solomon in the second verse of Proverbs, Chapter 27. I’m not sure if my mother knew of this verse but her words of caution sure seemed to me like she did. Look at today’s proverb and I think you’ll agree.

Let someone else praise you, and not your own mouth; an outsider, and not your own lips. Proverbs 27:2

Friends, we all have an innate desire to be appreciated, especially when we have done something noteworthy. If we get recognized then we feel good. If we are not recognized, we feel violated. Our pride is at the fulcrum of all this and pride too often tilts us in the direction of entitlement. We feel that others are obligated to sing our praise when in reality they aren’t. We’re just looking for their appreciation to satisfy our own egos.

So how do we avoid falling into the pride trap? What are we to do when it comes to this matter of wanting to feel appreciated and praised for the things we do?

The key can be found in the matter of who we seek to glorify most through the things we do. Christians are to do everything for the glory of the Lord. Period. He is to be magnified and lifted up first and foremost. If we do anything good, it’s because He blessed us with the talent, ability, and calling to do it. We would not have the opportunity to behave in a way that is praiseworthy if the Lord had not presented it to us in the first place.

And so when we seek to praise ourselves with our own lips, we are stealing away the glory that is solely the Lord’s. We are not serving to glorify ourselves but rather to illuminate and magnify the One who is the giver and provider of all things, the One we should be seeking to please so that we might be worthy of His praises as well as the praises of those we bless through our obedience to His calling.

Give praise where praise is most due. This is what my mother was trying to get at when she told me not to toot my own horn. It’s what God’s word is telling us as well through his words of wisdom.

Amen.

In Christ,

Mark

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