Are You Tested by the Praise You Receive?

I think praise is important.  We all need encouragement and even affirmation.  A timely “Well done!” is so uplifting to our spirit.  But as important as it is, praise can be a two-edged sword.  Proverbs 27:21 proclaims,

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

The crucible is the mechanism through which silver is refined and prepared, where the application of extreme heat forces the impurities to rise to the top.  The furnace serves the same purpose for gold.  But scripture says that we are tested by the praise we receive.

How are we tested by such praise?  Praise will test our metal by bringing out the truth about what we see our:

1. Identity – Our internal response to praise will show us whether we consider ourselves creator or creation.  As creator, we have all that was needed to accomplish that which was praiseworthy.  As creation, we enjoy and employ the gifts given to us by a sovereign God and acknowledge Him for every good work, both in and through us.
2. Worth – How we receive praise bears witness to how we really assess our own self worth, and more importantly, from where we derive our worth.  On one hand, we can receive praise as affirmation.  In other words, “The work you did is good.”  If we know that we have worth because we have been adopted by the King, we understand that nothing that we can ever do can or will increase or decrease our worth.  We are able to take praise at face value and enjoy the affirmation for a job well done.  On the other hand, we can receive praise as approval.  Rather than hearing, “The work you did is good,” we hear the words, “You are good” and “I approve of you.”  The actual words of praise did not change, only our interpretation and application of those words.  The person who lacks a genuine appreciation of their worth is always seeking to find it in the approval of others.  And sadly, there will never be enough.
3. Integrity – Let’s be honest.  We all like praise.  It makes us feel good.  And like anything that makes us feel good, we can begin to desire it, even crave it.  But what we do with that desire will reveal a lot about our character.  A person of high integrity will remain faithful to all that God prompts them to do.  They’ll do what He tells them to do, when He tells them to do it, how He tells them to do it – all with little or no concern for the praise they will or will not receive.  A person of lower integrity will be so drawn by the lure of potential praise as to set aside the things of God.  They become addicted to praise, and that praise becomes a drug just as intoxicating as any street drug.  They are always looking for another fix.

I don’t know about you, but God is showing me some things I need to work on?  How about you?