Thursday, December 28, 2017

Humility

DEVOTION
PROVERBS
HUMILITY

Prov 27:21
21 The crucible for silver and the furnace for gold, but man is tested by the praise he receives.
NIV

A crucible is a firing pot or ceramic container which is used to create intense heat to melt silver down so to create something new. This is the same with the furnace for gold. Both test the quality of the metal, finding any faults, or substances that are not pure silver or gold and it comes to the surface as slag and is skimmed off leaving nothing but the purest form of silver or gold. This is the picture we are given of how a man is tested by praise. Applause or praise is usually given freely when we do something considered well done. We applaud performances well done, whether they be a play, a musical, a magician or even a comedian. What is somewhat surprising is we applaud a church choir after singing a wonderful concert, even if they are singing unto the Lord. What is also surprising is we do not applaud the preacher after delivering a powerful message. Why do we applaud the singers but not the speaker? But the point is we give praise very freely, maybe not with words, but with applause. There are times when praise is given through words. We hear it at times in the form of acknowledgement of something we have done well. This usually happens on our job, or perhaps in a task we were assigned to do, even in church. Acknowledgement or recognition are what many of us seek out. Sometimes they are the reason we do what we do, or at least make sure others see what we do. Even the keeper of tithes knows the big givers, and sometimes in some churches they are given top spots, like being on the board, or being an elder or deacon, because the pastor and even some of the congregation knows about the size of their tithe. The problem, the point of this proverb is in the response to applause or acknowledgement, recognition, praise. If we do not feel the praise that is we do not feel as if we deserve any praise then in fact we do. But if we are pulled up by it, if we get puffed up because of praise, then we are worthless. The reason for worthlessness is because the reason we do something is for the praise and in all the reality of humankind, God is the only one worthy of praise. But we praise men with our applause and our words and many want just that.

John 12:42-43
42 Yet at the same time many even among the leaders believed in him. But because of the Pharisees they would not confess their faith for fear they would be put out of the synagogue; 43 for they loved praise from men more than praise from God.
NIV

 Do we desire the praise from men or from God? When we are praised by men, what is our response? It has often been seen that many times God uses us in areas that we have absolutely no expertise in. We might spend a lifetime gaining knowledge and skills in one area, then God calls us into a completely different direction. How can we receive praise then? All we do, all we are, all we say or write is due to the Spirit at work in our lives. We cannot accept any of the credit for it is all God. So then when praised we should rebuke it, and admit it is all God, and not of us. This should be the mindset of every believer and that should also set the tone for giving and or accepting praise. Now it is even possible to get puffed up about God using us in an area we are not humanly qualified for. We should also remember that it is required to live humbly before our Lord.

Mic 6:8
8 He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.
NIV


If we are to walk humbly with our God, that would also mean we walk humbly with him before men. This would mean a lot of our words should have less of “I” and more of “We” in them. Maybe even the “We” can be praise seeking, so maybe we need more of God instead of either the “I “or the “We”. But then we do things, we do give, we do actions. How do we balance that? What is our response to praise? Let us remember our humility instead of our prideful attitude. 

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