Great thoughts... I'm not sure I totally agree with that perspective. As far as the fruits of the Spirit there is only one place for the glory of that to go. :) But when it comes to abilities and tasks and etc... I think I might disagree with that perspective. In your violin narrative, the violinmaker, the bowmaker, the stringmaker, the fittingsmaker, the lumberman, and then of course the violinist deserve a certain amount of praise for their labour. And God receives glory for giving them those abilities.
We should accept praise, but remain humble. If I tell you, "You did a great job on this website!" Ultimately the praise goes to God for giving you those abilities, but you also receive praise for using them. This shouldn't bring up pride in us, but it does give us a sense of accomplishment. The bottom line is, is what we're doing done for the glory of God?
Sometimes it's hard to see us making a website for XXX company to the glory of God, but on the other hand by diligence and quality work we do glorify him. Nevertheless it was our work, and I think there might be some importance in not saying, "God made it. He just used me for it." I think we should accept both praise and criticism in humility and in our hearts thank God for giving us those abilities.
Pro 27:2 Let another man praise thee, and not thine own mouth; a stranger, and not thine own lips.
Pro 27:21 As the fining pot for silver, and the furnace for gold; so is a man to his praise.
We shouldn't go seeking praise but when it does come our way, I think we should accept it. I'm not sure what verse 21 means. It seems that we somehow are the actual testing point of our praise. Do we somehow refine it? I'm sitting here imagining a cartload of praise ore coming in and us having to refine it. Maybe we need to melt it up, scoop off the pride and self-gratification, and malice from the top, and leave only the pure, solid, worthiness of it to strengthen us. Refined praise will never lose it's value, will never decay, will never rust... wow, maybe my imagination is carrying me away here. But that is an interesting thought.
Hey, nice long comment! Thanks for your input. It about makes up for your lack of commenting in my journal. =D (Not that I don't understand how that you've been exceedingly busy, though.)
These thoughts are things that I've been considering recently. Whether it's all perfectly accurate or not, I'm not sure yet.
We should accept praise, but remain humble. That seems true enough, if accepting it means that we don't necessarily discount it. Yet, the thrust of what I was trying to say, is what you said next, "Ultimately the praise goes to God for giving you those abilities." We should ever be cognisant of that in order to help keep us humble, right? The moment we forget the all-important part that God plays, and the minor part that we play, is the moment we succumb to pride.
I think we should accept both praise and criticism in humility and in our hearts thank God for giving us those abilities. Right! We agree on this. At the same time, the giving of thanks to God is what I need to concentrate on, for receiving reasonable praise is not a problem. When one is complimented, the most important response is to thank and praise Him, not to feel good about yourself. I think we agree on that.
=) That is an interesting thought about Prov. 27:21. I just had to look up a commentator on it. Here's what one man said: "Praise tests character. '...a man to his praise'--according to his praise, as he bears it. Thus vain men seek it, weak men are inflated by it, wise men disregard it."
The idea I have is that when we receive any praise, we should desire God to be the One who is receiving the primary praise and us only secondarily -- as His workmanship given skills by Him. And, furthermore, our greatest delight should be in His praise and not our own.
We should accept praise, but remain humble. If I tell you, "You did a great job on this website!" Ultimately the praise goes to God for giving you those abilities, but you also receive praise for using them. This shouldn't bring up pride in us, but it does give us a sense of accomplishment. The bottom line is, is what we're doing done for the glory of God?
Sometimes it's hard to see us making a website for XXX company to the glory of God, but on the other hand by diligence and quality work we do glorify him. Nevertheless it was our work, and I think there might be some importance in not saying, "God made it. He just used me for it." I think we should accept both praise and criticism in humility and in our hearts thank God for giving us those abilities.
Pro 27:2 Let another man praise thee, and not thine own mouth; a stranger, and not thine own lips.
Pro 27:21 As the fining pot for silver, and the furnace for gold; so is a man to his praise.
We shouldn't go seeking praise but when it does come our way, I think we should accept it. I'm not sure what verse 21 means. It seems that we somehow are the actual testing point of our praise. Do we somehow refine it? I'm sitting here imagining a cartload of praise ore coming in and us having to refine it. Maybe we need to melt it up, scoop off the pride and self-gratification, and malice from the top, and leave only the pure, solid, worthiness of it to strengthen us. Refined praise will never lose it's value, will never decay, will never rust... wow, maybe my imagination is carrying me away here. But that is an interesting thought.
:)
Reply
These thoughts are things that I've been considering recently. Whether it's all perfectly accurate or not, I'm not sure yet.
We should accept praise, but remain humble. That seems true enough, if accepting it means that we don't necessarily discount it. Yet, the thrust of what I was trying to say, is what you said next, "Ultimately the praise goes to God for giving you those abilities." We should ever be cognisant of that in order to help keep us humble, right? The moment we forget the all-important part that God plays, and the minor part that we play, is the moment we succumb to pride.
I think we should accept both praise and criticism in humility and in our hearts thank God for giving us those abilities. Right! We agree on this. At the same time, the giving of thanks to God is what I need to concentrate on, for receiving reasonable praise is not a problem. When one is complimented, the most important response is to thank and praise Him, not to feel good about yourself. I think we agree on that.
=) That is an interesting thought about Prov. 27:21. I just had to look up a commentator on it. Here's what one man said: "Praise tests character. '...a man to his praise'--according to his praise, as he bears it. Thus vain men seek it, weak men are inflated by it, wise men disregard it."
The idea I have is that when we receive any praise, we should desire God to be the One who is receiving the primary praise and us only secondarily -- as His workmanship given skills by Him. And, furthermore, our greatest delight should be in His praise and not our own.
...if that makes any sense and is consistent...
Reply
Leave a comment