The snares of human praises
“The crucible for silver and the furnace for gold, but people are tested by their praise.” (NIV) Proverbs 27:21
Human praise can feel sweet, like honey on the lips, but often it hides a sting. Scripture repeatedly warns us of its danger in Proverbs 27:21. Praise itself is not evil, but the way our hearts handle it can either refine us or destroy us.
Consider King Herod in Acts 12:22–23. When the crowd shouted, “This is the voice of a god, not of a man,” Herod accepted the praise instead of giving glory to God. Instantly, judgment fell upon him. What began as flattering applause became the snare that ended his life. Praise can be slippery, it lifts us high only to tempt us into forgetting the Giver of every gift.
Jesus modeled the opposite. After performing miracles, He often withdrew from the crowd (John 6:15). He sought the Father’s approval, not man’s. Even when praised, He redirected glory to the Father: “I do not accept glory from human beings” (John 5:41). For Him, the mercy and will of God outweighed every human accolade.
In daily life, we may be applauded for our work, our kindness, or our service in the church. These affirmations can encourage, but if our hearts begin to thirst for them, we walk the edge of pride. Like a musician who plays for the crowd but forgets the composer, we risk stealing God’s glory.
The safe path is humility. When applause comes, whisper, “To God be the glory.” When it does not, remain steady, for our true reward comes from the Lord (Colossians 3:23–24). Human praise fades, but God’s grace sustains eternally. Amen