Praising Others

Chuckle: “Encouragement is like a peanut butter sandwich – the more you spread it around, the better things stick together.”

Quote: “If you think that praise is due him, Now is the time to slip it to him, For he cannot read his tombstone when he’s dead.” --Berton Braley

“Let another praise you, and not your own mouth; someone else, and not your own lips” (Proverbs 27:2 NIV).

Praise, compliments, commendations, affirmations, and other words of encouragement are welcomed and appreciated by all of us. Words like, great job; I’m proud of you; I believe in you; inspires and invigorates and can change lives. Of course, our primary motive for Christian service should be to please and glorify our Lord and merit His approval. “For it is not the one who commends himself who is approved, but the one whom the Lord commends” (2 Corinthians 10:18 NIV).

However, we all enjoy having others commend us for what we do. When someone praises us, it brings feelings of self-worth and confidence. Such praise provides an additional motivation for even greater faithfulness in our service to God and other people. Encouraging one another is a major theme in the New Testament, and praise is a great means of encouragement.

I ran across an old England saying, “Just praise is a debt to be paid.” In other words, we owe it to others to praise them when such praise is truly merited. However, praise that is not merited will cause the recipient of such praise to lose confidence in us because he or she knows we aren’t being truthful. Conversely, praise that is merited but not expressed also discredits our character. Withholding legitimate praise can be the result of envy or resentment because we believe merited praise is being withheld from us. Obviously, this should not be the attitude of a loving, caring Christian. We should praise others without expecting praise for ourselves; however, kindness has a way of returning to us in even greater measure than that which we have extended .

Sometimes lasting and treasured friendships are born out of expressions of praise. If we know someone believes in us, appreciates what we have done, and tells us so, we are drawn to that person in a powerful and unique way. A thoughtful person who praises you will serve as a role-model for you in your relationships with others. The simple courtesy of “thank you for enriching my life with your kindness and faithfulness” can bring cheer to someone who knew they deserved praise but never considered the possibility that they would receive it.

Finally, it is much better if we seek the praise of God rather than the praise of people. Then, when we receive praise from people, we will be free and willing to give God the credit.

Love, Jerry & Dotse