Proverbs 27
Verse 21 "Fire tests the purity of silver and gold, but a person is tested by being praised."
Praise is a test, a test of the very character of souls. Over and over in scripture we see people sidetracked by pride. Rick Warren calls it the popularity test and he says the way you respond to the praise of people, determines the way God responds to you. James 4 says that God resist the proud but gives grace to the humble. The grace of God is the one necessary requirement for true success and humility is the open door for grace.
Thank God for the cheerleaders in our lives, individuals that encourage us and cheer us on. We all need to hear an encouraging word and be patted on the back for a job well done. Because the problem is not in the praise, the problem is in our hearts. Just as fire draws out the impurities of silver and gold, praise draws out pride. Praise doesn't create pride, it reveal our hearts and shows us if there is pride in our lives. Once revealed we have two choices, we can give place to pride and allow our heads to swell and lips to sing our own praises. However this response carries with it the sting of death and destruction. Or we can confess the sin of pride, repent for giving place to it and humble ourselves before God. Acknowledging that he is the source of every good thing in our lives
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