Faint Praise

Proverbs 27:2 (KJV) Let another man praise thee, and not thine own mouth; a stranger, and not thine own lips.

What do you do if no one ever praises you?  Most of us would admit that is a bit of an exaggeration, even though it often feels that way.  Very few people never get any praise.  The praise may not be sincere, it may not be deserved, but it still shows up somewhere in your life.  I remember in summer camp.  One of the boys was pinning over a young damsel, and we were giving him ideas about how to praise her.  My contribution was that he should tell her, “I like the way you hold your fork.”  I didn’t think it would work then and it probably wouldn’t work now, but it was my contribution.  You can see why people didn’t ask me for advice in the area of romance.

What if it doesn’t seem like anybody is praising you.  That could be for a very good reason, you don’t broadcast the wonderful things you do.  When it comes time to contribute to a special need at the church, you may slip your gift in quietly while others will make a show of it.  You may be the one who comes in in the middle of the week and scrubs the toilets and no one ever thinks about it.  It could also be because you never do anything worth praising. That is something to think about.

So?  Christian humility is a real thing.  It’s a matter of having a lack of pride and arrogance.  It’s a matter of putting others before yourself.  It’s a matter of turning the other cheek and going the extra mile.  Sometimes faint praise is the best kind of praise.