Praise Seeking

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

It is uncomely to see a person boasting about themselves, to behold them "tooting their own horns."

Man is naturally a Braggart. This was the way of the Pharisees in Jesus' day. The Lord Jesus Christ spent a lot of his preaching time in warning about and in condemning the sin of self seeking.

"Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven. Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward." (Matthew 6: 1, 2)

The sin of self praise and bragging is a common trait of sinners. The evidences of this sin abound everywhere. It is universal, part of man's inherited depravity and stems from selfishness and love of self, the root of all sin. "For all seek their own, " wrote Paul, and "not the things which are Jesus Christ's." (Philippians 2; 21)

The desire for the praises of men, and the practice of self praising, are great stumblingblocks to sinners in their coming to Christ and in their being saved. It keeps them from fellowship with God, and from his blessings.

"Nevertheless among the chief rulers also many believed on him; but because of the Pharisees they did not confess him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue: For they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God." (John 12: 42, 43)

Is that not the greatest folly? Is it not a mark of inner unbelief? What person, who truly believed in God in his heart, would seek man's praise and approval instead of his Creator's praise and approval? The Lord Jesus interrogated the Pharisees about this "stumblingblock of their iniquity."

"How can ye believe, which (seek and) receive honour one of another, and seek not the honour that cometh from God only?" (John 5: 44)

"He that speaketh of himself seeketh his own glory: but he that seeketh his glory that sent him, the same is true, and no unrighteousness is in him." (John 7: 18)

How do we know if someone is truly humble and meek, really unassuming and unselfish, rather than being only so seemingly? Jesus gave us one way to discern this kind of hypocrisy and deceit. Pay attention to what people are spending their time talking about, how they phrase their sentences, what they spend their time doing, etc., and it will be seen whether or not they act out of pride and an evil egotism.

Jesus was our example in this regard. Said he: "And I seek not mine own glory: there is one that seeketh and judgeth." (John 8: 50)

So Paul followed the Lord's example and gave his life also as an example of living life unselfishly and with eyesingleness to the glory of God.

"Even as I please all men in all things, not seeking mine own profit, but the profit of many, that they may be saved." (I Corinthians 10: 33)

This too is a common exhortation to men, both saints and sinners. Wrote the Apostle Paul:

"Let no man seek his own, but every man another's wealth." (Verse 24)

But, this is not the case with sinful man, for he is selfish, and puts himself first, believing himself to be a "god." He seeks his own wealth, his own superiority, not desiring the same for others, but rather desiring that others be in a position of inferiority to him. The sinner, whether he be honest and admit it, or not, is vainglorious, seeing himself as #1.

Yet, the same apostle said - "Love doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own..." (13: 5) Love is not selfish, but loves God first, and loves others second, and loves self last. This is true "joy." JOY has been defined by an acronym:

JOY = J (Jesus) first, O (others) second, and Y (you) last

JOY = J (Jesus) on one side, Y (you) on the other side, and O (nothing) in between.

Paul identified "selfish ambition" (Galatians 5; 20 & Philippians 1: 17 NIV) as a "work of the flesh." He exhorted: "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves." (2: 3 NIV) James adds these words:

"But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth."

"For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice." (James 3: 14, 16)

Sinners will often be heard to condemn other sinners in their bragging, yet it is hypocritical, for they themselves are "guilty of the same thing." Oftentimes this condemnation of boasting is itself evil, coming from hypocrites. Why do those who boast condemn others for boasting? Is it not because they see it as a threat to their own superiority?

Friend, God is the one who you should be praising and not your own self. You have no reason to boast, for what you have and who you are, is owing to God who made you (See I Corinthians 4: 7) and gave you the gifts and talents you possess. "Where is boasting then?" (Romans 3: 27) If you praise the Lord above all things, and not seek any glory for yourself, then the Lord will surely praise and recognize you, and see to it that your "gift" will "make room" for you and "bring you before great men." (Proverbs 18: 16)

"Seek the glory that comes from God alone" is sound advice from our Lord and Savior. To do so will have eternal reward and praise from the same Lord.