Bad Encouragement

Praise

Among the smaller duties of life I hardly know any one more important than that of not praising where praise is not due.

Sydney Smith 1771-1845, British Writer, Clergyman


Prov 28:4-9
Those who forsake the law praise the wicked, but those who keep the law strive with them. Evil men do not understand justice, but those who seek the LORD understand all things. Better is the poor who walks in his integrity than he who is crooked though he be rich. He who keeps the law is a discerning son, but he who is a companion of gluttons humiliates his father. He who increases his wealth by interest and usury gathers it for him who is gracious to the poor. He who turns away his ear from listening to the law, even his prayer is an abomination. NASU

It’s pretty apparent that we are not doing a good job in directing our praise in the present society isn’t it? As I asked myself this morning the question of what has got us into this predicament, this is the answer I received. We have given away our praise cheaply. I have read many words of wisdom that advise you to praise someone. Mary Kay, not that I have anything against Mary Kay, advises their salesmen to picture a big sign around everyone’s neck that says, “Make me feel important.”

Sometimes in our encouragement of others we can overstep boundaries if we are not careful. Maybe this is what has happened in our society. Encouragement is a good thing, if, the right things are encouraged, but bad encouragement is also a major problem today in our world. People do not encourage their children to be bank robbers, but they do highlight, maybe to much, the importance of money. That is what the world says defines success and if that is what defines “success,” then the lack of it may drive a child to get it, “any way they can.”

God asks you and I to have “integrity. Proverbs says the evil do not understand “justice,” but those who seek the Lord understand “all” things. I think that we as Christians should help in everyway that we can to show our families and all those around us that success is not defined by material things. We can help many by helping to redefine in our world just what success is. To know the Lord and to delight in His Word is success, and if we were to highlight that more, we would have a world where people begin to place value on one another, instead of things.

The last of Proverbs 28:9 said this to us; if we do not delight in God’s law then even our prayers are an abomination to God. God says when you stop listening to me, I stop listening to you. It’s pretty apparent isn’t it…apparent that the world has not been listening, and encouraging what is really important…God Bless.

Pastor William