Proverbs 27
The crucible for silver and the furnace for gold, but people are tested by their praise, v21.
For silver and gold to be silver and gold they have to go through the testing.
However the kind of testing that makes a person a Godly person is not the testing but the successes.
How does a person handle praise?
Do they deflect it to God out of false humility?
Do they crave for more?
Do they try and please to get praise?
Is it a drug?
Does it create their fantasist identity?
Do preachers think they’re giving a presidential speech?
Do worship leaders think they’re pop idols?
If there’s no praise do workers think they are undervalued and so do not work?
Never!
But within praise there lies such temptation.
Praise is a crucible, it is a furnace.
Missions Paul 