Tag Archives: the praise of others

July 27
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“Moses thought that his own people would realize that God was using him to rescue them, but they did not.”  (Acts 7:25, NIV)

It surprises us — as it did Moses — that others do not realize our status as God’s rescue agent.  From “the outside looking in,” we see situations differently than those in the crisis.

At such moments — when we are filled with enthusiasm, energy, and ardor — we need to guard against the temptation to become “tactical”; that is, to become more concerned about a particular, single battle than we are the entire war.  Armies have lost wars despite having won most of the battles.  They key is to fight — and to win — the right battles.

Above all, it is crucially important that we keep our ego in check.  The recognition and praise of others is a poor barometer (as we saw with Jesus on Palm Sunday when he entered Jerusalem to the praise of the people, only to hear many of those same voices call for His crucifixion a few days later).

Instead, work assiduously for the honor and the glory of our heavenly Father.  – Luther

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April 28
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“Let someone else praise you, and not your own mouth; an outsider, and not your own lips.” (Proverbs 27:2)

As the saying goes: “If it were easy, everyone would be doing it.”

Working faithfully while waiting to be acknowledged is, sometimes, very difficult. Self-promotion is nothing new. People have been burnishing their image, publishing their credentials, and boasting about their strengths since the beginning of time.

However, the wisdom of God encourages us to let our praise come from the mouth of others; from the lips of those who have no hidden interest.  A few words of praise from such people is worth more than thousands of words of self-promotion.

Choose the narrow path.  It is worth the solitude, the work, and the wait.  – Luther 

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