THINK TOGETHER.
Have you received any compliments or praises today?
READ TOGETHER
Proverbs 27:2. Let another praise you, and not your own mouth; a stranger, and not your own lips.
When you were little you constantly tried to get attention. Look at me. Watch this. Did you see what I did? I did it!
You wanted praise. And that’s normal. Everyone wants to be praised for the good things that they do. Trophies, certificates, awards, prizes, compliments, high fives, hugs, these are all great things.
But here’s what we must understand about praise if we are going to be wise – for praise to be genuine and helpful it must come from others and not from yourself. A person who praises themselves is not going to be praise by others, they are not going to be liked. Why not? Because when we praise ourselves we are becoming self-centered.
God wants us to praise each other. He wants us to honor each other, and encourage each other. But those things have to come from someone else and not from ourselves. Why? Because that’s how praise images God. Remember, God is a Trinity. So the Father doesn’t praise himself, the Son and Spirit do. The Son doesn’t praise himself, and the Spirit doesn’t praise himself, they each praise one another. And that’s how praise is supposed to work for us to – praise others, not yourself. When someone hears praise and encouragement from someone else it can literally change their life for the better.
So don’t go around praising yourself, and do go around praising others. And when you do you will be like Jesus, like the Trinity.
Oh, and never forget that all praise that we receive should then be sent up to Jesus, because without him you can’t do anything. You can’t even breathe without him. So give him the praise when you get the praise.
Because of Jesus God praises, honors, and encourages us.
With Jesus we don’t need to praise ourselves, instead we can praise others.
DO SOMETHING TOGETHER
Who can you praise this week? Is anyone you know discouraged? How can you honor them and lift their spirits?
PRAY TOGETHER
Jesus, you deserve all the praise!
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