“As the fining-pot for silver, and the furnace for gold; so is a man to his praise.” —Proverbs 27:21
The [re-]fining-pot and furnace have been before mentioned, as the Lord’s “trial of the heart.” The most searching furnace is here shown. He that is praised is not only much approved, but much proved. The courting of the praise of our fellow-creatures is the world within. Praise is a sharper trial of the strength of principle than reproach. “If a man be vain and light, he will be puffed up with it. If he be wise and solid, he will be no whit moved therewith.” A haughty deportment, “loving to have the pre-eminence” (3Jo 9), forwardness to give our opinion, and offense if it be not taken—this is the dross brought out of the furnace. Count the discovery a special mercy. Know thy need of purifying, and let the great Refiner do His perfect work (Mal 3:2-3.)
But see a man humbled by praise, in the consciousness how little he deserves it, and “who maketh him to differ” (1Co 4:7). See him made more careful and diligent, bearing his honour meekly, and the same man as before; here the furnace proves the real metal, and brings out “a vessel of honour, meet for the Master’s use” (2Ti 2:21).
Absalom was tried in this fining-pot, and found “reprobate silver.” Herod, under the shouting praise of his flatterers, “gave not God the glory,” and was blasted in shame (Act 12:21-23). Joseph (Gen 41:41-43) and David (1Sa 18:7-8, 15-18) maintained their humility, Daniel his consistency (Dan 6:3-5), the apostles their singleness for their Master’s glory. Here was the bright gold in the heated furnace.
Fearful often is the trial to a minister of Christ. When he becomes the object of popular applause, his people’s idol (Act 3:11-16); when men of strong impulse and weak judgment put the servant in the Master’s place—then he is in the fining-pot. He that is but dross, is consumed. Even if there be true metal, the man of God “is saved, yet so as by fire” (1Co 3:15). Without painful discipline his usefulness would be withered, his spirituality deadened, his soul lost (2Co 12:7).
Two rules strongly present themselves. 1) Be careful in giving praise. Even the children of the world can discover the deadly tenacity of pride in our nature. “Do you know,” remarked M. de Stael on her death-bed, “what is the last thing to die in man? It is self-love.” We cannot therefore do our brother a greater injury than by supplying fuel for pride by unregulated praise. Even if he be a public man, he is not always before God as in the eyes of the Church. It may be that the most eminent servant of God is one of whom the Church has taken little cognizance. And at best we are far too short-sighted to take the accurate measure of our brother’s piety. We cannot weigh it aright without the balances of the sanctuary, which are fully in His hands alone Who searcheth the heart. Therefore till the day appointed for manifestation, it is well to judge each other, whether for good or evil, with becoming moderation.
And to which: is it merciful to expose a weak fellow-sinner to the frown of a jealous God, by stirring up the innate corruption of his heart? For put even the finest gold into the furnace, how humbling is the spectacle of the dross that yet cleaves to it (Isa 39:2, 2Ch 32:31)! Be not less careful in receivingpraise. While our taste revolts from extravagant flattery, yet we are apt to think it kindly meant, and it is very rare not to take unconsciously a drop of the poison.
2) But the praise of the church is by far the most insidious poison—so refined, so luscious! Specially when we feel it to be lawfully obtained, how hard to receive it with self-renouncing consecration to God! “Christian! thou knowest thou carriest gunpowder about thee. Desire those that carry fire to keep at a distance. It is a dangerous crisis, when a proud heart meets with flattering lips.”May not even the habit of speaking humbly of ourselves be a snare of the devil? Would it not be safer not to speak of ourselves at all? At least, to confine our conversation in strict sincerity to what we are, not what we appear to be, would be a “wise refraining of our lips” (Pro 10:19). Guard against dwelling, even in thought, upon anything that brings man’s approving eye upon us. Delight mainly in those works that are only under the eye of God. Value alone His approbation. Ever think of the love of human praise as the most deadly bane of a Christian profession, to be resisted with intense energy and perseverance (Joh 5:44; 12:42-43).
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