Sun 9:30a Class; 10:30a Worship; 11:35a Communion
Bible Bites
Flattery
“And immediately an angel of the Lord struck him because he did not give God the glory…” (Acts 12:23)
What was Herod’s sin? He chose flattery. He accepted praise which belonged to God.
Be wary of the love of flattery; it will own you with its beguiling, velvety touch. Flattery is the sin that teaches us to accept lies because they make us feel good. If you read through the Psalms and Proverbs, you will find that flattery is often paired right next to words like ‘lying’, ‘falsehood’, and ‘seduction’. Many a marriage has been destroyed by the flattery of another.
Flattery seduces us to believe lies about ourselves that deceive our own hearts. We are seduced by those who flatter because they cause us to feel like a high-quality person without having to put the work into actually becoming that person… but honesty requires a humble assessment of ourselves (flaws and all!) that cannot happen when surrounded by yes-men.
Beware the allure of flattery. Flattery often comes with a hidden price.
Matthew 4:4 #Biblebites
