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Testing Through Peace and Praise
Justin SmithProverbs 27:21
Fire tests the purity of silver and gold, but a person is tested by being praised.
I’ve heard it said before… “the war is not won in times of battle; rather, the war is won in times of peace.” This rather quaint anecdote, at first glance, appears troublesome and incorrect, as the war is ultimately won on the battlefield, when times are tough, the soldiers are pressed, and the enemy is on the move. It’s true that, ultimately, the battle must be fought, but how one prepares for the battle in times of peace often predicts the outcome of the war. Were the soldiers training, were the horses readied, were the proper provisions set aside, were the plans and strategies laid out? The true testing of their commitment to victory is made evident in their awareness and alertness in times of peace.
This came to mind as I read Proverbs 27:21. “Fire tests the purity of silver and gold, but a person is tested by being praised.” The tests of the purifying fires can be trying. When the proverbial heat is turned up in the furnace of life, when times are tough, we are pressed, and the enemy is on the move against us and our family dropping to our knees in desperate surrender is our gut reaction. In the face of our inadequacies, we desperately cry out to God for intervention and cling to Him with every fiber of our being in hopes of finding a sliver of assurance in the midst of the fire. Dependence on Him comes naturally. But what happens, what happens when things are going well, when everything is hunky dory and peace is everywhere. Or worse, what happens when success comes, when the applause of man rings loud, and the praises of your peers fill the air. Inevitably, the pride of the inner man puffs, dependence on God wanes, and complacency creeps in.
May I discipline myself to be ever vigilant in a relentless pursuit of Jesus in times of prosperity and peace. As the applause rings louder, may this be my cue to dig my knees deeper before the foot of the Cross. In accolades may I aggressively address my absolute dependence and reliance on Him, remembering without Him we can do nothing of Kingdom value.
Lord Jesus, I am so grateful for the mighty work you have done through "Hope Is Alive". Thank you for allowing us to be a part of your influence in Hawaii and around the world. We will choose to not revel in the accolades, but intentionally cling even closer to You. As the applause rings, we will choose to dig our knees deeper before the foot of the Cross, acknowledging that all honor is for You and to You. We are desperate for You!
In Jesus name, Amen.
