Horn Tooting

(Proverbs 25:14 KJV)  Whoso boasteth himself of a false gift is like clouds and wind without rain.

What is this boasting that is being talked about?  We are familiar with how Paul “boasts” (1984b) about his weakness so it is not necessarily evil.  But here we are warned.  The word is translated “boast” in both the KJV and NASB but in both translations it is much more frequently rendered as “praise.”  It means talking positively about something or shining a light on it.

One of the differences I noticed in how it was translated was the target of the action.  It seems like it is called boasting when we are talking about ourselves and praise when we are talking about someone else.  That is an indication that the goal is humility and building others up.  In a sense we are not to toot our own horn.

So?  Let others bear witness to your qualities.  We are to use our gifts to build up the body of Christ and other believers.  It is not natural but it is Christian.