We in the greater Western world are just finishing the annual period known to some as ‘The Silly Season.” This is the period of time during which store owners and corporate giants attempted to market their products to consumers.

The culture surrounding Christmas, a pagan festival adopted into traditional Christianity well after the time of Jesus Christ and the twelve apostles, is portrayed as giving, but the underlying message (often subtle) that getting is better than giving pervades this time of year.

However, it does bring up an important question: is it better to give or to get?

“… remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive,’ ” (Acts 20:35, NIV). The apostle Paul emphasized this important principle during his travels in the book of Acts.

This is especially true from a physical or monetary point of view, but what about something that we can’t put a dollar value on? Praise.

Is it better to also give praise or to receive praise?

Too much of a good thing?

King Solomon gives some wise advice, “The crucible for silver and the furnace for gold, but people are tested by the praise they receive,” (Proverbs 27:21). What did he mean by this?

“Praise tests a person just as high temperatures test metal. How does praise affect you? Do you work to get it? Do you work harder after you’ve gotten it? Your attitude towards praise tells a lot about your character. People of high integrity are not swayed by praise, they are attuned to their inner convictions and they do what they should whether or not they are praised for it,” (Life Application Study Bible, commentary on Proverbs 27:21).

What about the source of praise? Should it come from within or from others around us?

We can get caught up in praising ourselves, which can inflate our own image of ourselves and become a danger zone. Receiving undue praise can also inflate our self-conceit. We need to carefully balance our satisfaction in a job well accomplished in order to avoid excessive pride over how pleased we are with ourselves.

So, do we endeavor to receive praise for all the works that we perform? Or do we do them out of the goodness of our hearts to assist others?

Jesus Christ explains the result of self-centered “good deeds”:

"Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of people in order to be noticed by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.”

“So whenever you give to the poor, don't blow a trumpet before you like the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets so that they will be praised by people. I tell you with certainty, they have their full reward!”

“But when you give to the poor, don't let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be done in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you," (Matthew 6:1-4).

A good word, here and there…

On the other hand if we don’t get any praise from others it can leave us feeling low, alone and like a leaf being trampled on the daily street crushed into thousands of pieces.

If we do achieve a goal, overcome a trial, or put a 100% effort into a task, then there is nothing wrong with the satisfaction that comes with accomplishment. After all we fought against ourselves and won. Likewise if we are unsuccessful, a bit of a pep talk can be all that is required to complete the goal the next time we undertake it.

Just remember this profound piece of wisdom from Solomon, the wisest of men:

“Let another praise you and not your own mouth, a stranger and not your own lips,” (Proverbs 27:2, NKJV).

Some questions to ask ourselves:

- Do we work to get praise? Or does it just fall into our lap incidentally?

- Do we work harder after we have received praise to keep the good effort up to exceed the goal or precedent that we have set?

- Or do we just go back to falling into the normal day to day life and not put into practice the lesson that we have just learned?  

The apostle Paul gives us great advice on how to give uplifting praise to others, encouraging unity:

“Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear,” (Ephesians 4:29, ESV).

Edifying each another with well-timed praise is beneficial to those around us. Taking satisfaction in our own accomplishments is fine, just as long as we don’t draw attention to ourselves

Just as with physical items, giving praise to others is better then receiving praise because it helps us appreciate the effort others take to make the world a better place, no matter how big or small the task.