Self commendation

But “he who glories, let him glory in the Lord.” For not he who commends himself is approved, but whom the Lord commends. – 2 Corinthians 10.17-18

‘Self praise is no praise,’ is an old saying that we don’t seem to think about. We live in a culture full of politicians and pop stars and even preachers who seem almost driven by praise for themselves. Paul was trying to defend his ministry without giving himself self-praise.

This had to remind the Corinthians of what Paul had written previously when he talked about how God rarely used the ones that we think he should use. He rarely uses the great or the wise or the noble or the prestigious to do His work. God uses the weak and the foolish things of this world to confound and defeat the wise so that He may be glorified.

It is too easy to ‘think more highly of ourselves than we ought to think.’ Instead we ought to take heed that we not to think we stand, lest we fall.

Self-commendation is simply pride manifested. Let’s seek only God’s commendation instead of the praise of men.