What is the value of letting another man praise you (Proverbs 27:2)?

"Let another man praise thee, and not thine own mouth; a stranger, and not thine own lips."

This verse has close connection with the first, both of which deal with the matter of a man's proper self-control. These two verses form the first section of the chapter, and may be characterized as integrity or singleness of heart. A single heart does not exalt self, but the Lord. Even gross unbelievers are contemptuous of a braggart. Let us not trust ourselves to talk about our own accomplishments: they are certainly no more than we ought to have done. If they are worth advertising, usually there will be someone else to do it; but at any rate, the believer is to live as under the eye of God, not as answerable to men. If the charred wick of the lamp is not trimmed, its once-bright light will become dim and smoky.

Then further, “Let another man praise thee, and not thine own mouth: a stranger and not thine own lips” (Prov. 27:2). We are not to blow our own trumpets. An egotistical man is nearly always an empty man. True greatness and conceit do not run together. Colossal conceit is a mark of a disordered brain. Lunatics imagine themselves to be emperors.

But we must not forget there was a brother, whose name we do not know, whose praise in the Gospel was in all the churches. (2 Cor. 8:18). I am sure he did not seek that praise, but he was a man whom the Lord delighted to honour. So while ever seeking first the praise of God, we need not, I judge, be entirely without regard to our brethren's praise also. But let us also remember how easy it is to have our eyes turned towards men, rather than to our Lord alone: and also remember "If I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ". (Gal. 1:10).

I am sure then, you will feel, my dear friend and brother, that one man cannot do a greater injury to another than by praising him, and feeding his pride. "He that flattereth his neighbour spreadeth a snare for his feet," and, a flattering mouth worketh ruin. Be assured, moreover, that we are far too short-sighted to be able to judge of the degree of our brethren's piety. We are not able to weigh it aright without the balance of the sanctuary, and that is in the hands of Him who searches the heart. Judge nothing, then, before the time, until the Lord come, and makes manifest the counsels of the heart, and renders to every man his praise. Till then let us judge of our brethren, whether for good or for evil, with becoming moderation; and remember that the surest and best judgment is what we form of ourselves when we esteem others better than ourselves.

Flattery is absolutely impossible when God is in question. All praise and worship offered to Him falls short of that of which He is worthy. We cannot rate Him higher than He is. On the other hand it is almost impossible to avoid flattery when we begin to praise men. We see one or two features, on the surface of their characters or their doings, which appeal to us; but many other features, deep below the surface, which would not appeal but appal, we do not see. Hence our praise of man has in it inevitably an element of flattery even when we have not the slightest desire to flatter. As saints let us beware of the praise of men. By indulging in it we damage each other. though it is very sweet to the flesh.

Then again the Old Testament saint knew quite enough of his failure and of his need of sovereign grace to banish high thoughts of himself, and to attribute every right word to God. How inconsistent to sound his own praise! how becoming to be silent as to any good on his part. If a stranger praised him, it was more than he deserved. Here too the New Testament reveals the truth more deeply in Christ for lowliness of mind, esteeming one another as more excellent than ourselves, not as a sentiment but as a living truth of faith.

Now the system before us, as represented in its chief exponent, avowedly sets aside the letter of Scripture, in the interests of what it is pleased to consider the "spirit" of it. Scripture, has been put alongside of a supposed faulty hymn, to say — "I do not read those hymns in the letter; I do not read Scripture in the letter: I try to get the spirit of the hymn, and I do." The self-complacence of the last two words is characteristic. Are we not left to infer that as with the hymns, so with Scripture, he not only seeks to get the spirit of Scripture, but he does? Most people would have left others to say that of them. Whatever conviction they might have as to their success in such a matter, they would not expect to move others by their own conviction — at least those of the class that it would be worth while to convince: "let another man praise thee, and not thine own mouth" (Prov. 27:2) is a rule which has long been commended to us as a maxim of wisdom.

There was another obstacle in his way, even his good opinion of himself, and his endeavour to claim from others the highest character for honesty and honour, energy and prudence. This runs through his speech, as we saw it pervading the self-applauding letter of Claudius Lysias in Acts 23:25-30. What is man to be accounted, whose breath is in his nostrils? One look at self in God's presence puts in dust and ashes, as in Job's case when approved of Him, for his three friends were not. How can ye believe, said our Lord (John 5:44), receiving as ye do glory one of another, and the glory that is from the only God ye seek not? Where there is no self-judgment, the Saviour is but 'one Jesus', like any child of man. He who so speaks is a sinner ripening for judgment.

"He is beside Himself," was the language of some, as recorded by Mark. And it was true, in a sense which they thought not of. He was wanting to Himself in that prudence which man has learnt to value — for "men will praise thee, when thou doest well to thyself."