Empty Self-Esteem

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

The least likely person to offer you genuine “praise” (1984b) is a perfect “stranger” (5237).  You might get an occasional “nice hat” or “good swing” but you will probably never hear “way to love”.  That should tell us something about praise.

Our modern culture tells us that we need to dish out the praise to raise people’s self-esteem.  At school I am told to keep a quarter and a penny in my pocket to remind me to praise people 25 times for every criticism I offer.  You wonder why young people are so cocky for so little reason?  It is because of this philosophy. 

So?  Don’t self-praise.  Be leery of empty praise.  Don’t inflate egos with cheap words.