Daily Thought for Monday, June 13th

June 13, 2011

Flattery – Where Will It Get Ya

Today’s Thought:

“Blarney is flattery laid on so thin you love it; baloney is flattery laid on so thick you hate it” – Bishop Fulton Sheen

Today’s Quote:

“There is no such thing as flattery – if commendashun is deserved, it is not flattery but truth, and if commendashun is undeserved, it is not flattery but slander.” – Josh Billings

Today’s Question

Have you ever taken the time to consider that: “The mischief of flattery is not that it persuades any man that he is what he is not, but that is suppresses the influence of honest ambition, by raising an opinion that honor may be gained without the toil of merit?” – Samuel Johnson

Today’s Bible Verses:                   Proverbs 29:5 & Psalms 48:1

 A man that flattereth his neighbour spreadeth a net for his feet.

Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised in the city of our God, in the mountain of his holiness.

Today’s Spiritual Thought:

We have all heard it said that flattery will get you nowhere.  Typically flattery is an exaggeration of earned or worthwhile praise and it is typically employed to manipulate the receiver.  Wilson Mizner said of it; “I hate careless flattery, the kind that exhausts you in your effort to believe it.”  And Pietro Aretino said, “Perfumed and gallant words make our ears belch.”

As Christians we might should deal less with words of a flattering nature and focus more on words and deeds that are genuine and more akin to praise.

The Bible says, “A lying tongue hateth those that are afflicted by it; and a flattering mouth worketh ruin.”.– The Bible (Proverbs 26:28)    And it also instructs us in this fashion: “Let every thing that hath breath praise the Lord. Praise ye the Lord. – The Bible (Psalms 150:6)

John Paul Richter stated, “It is easy to flatter; It is hard to praise.”

Each of us likes to hear a good word of encouragement and appreciation from time to time, but the reality is there is only one who is truly worthy to be praised and His name is Jesus.

If we praise God with our lives, maybe we would be more successful in sincerely flattering others with our words and deeds.  Because after all isn’t the real purpose of flattery to make it’s recipient feel special and loved?

Today’s Prayer:

Father, may my acts of flattery be deeds done to make others feel your love and may all my praise be focused towards you.