Lesson 59. Praise Is a Language of Love

The lives of many people are like smoldering coals that are about to go out. Someone has been broken by life’s problems and is ready to fall forever, shattering against the rocks of despair. Someone travels through life without any hope of something better, dragging out a miserable existence. We are surrounded by a world of unhappy people who pretend that everything is well with them. Living in sin, a person cannot be happy, for the very awareness that he will someday die forever oppresses a normal person, depriving him of the fullness of happiness and peace. And if premature death knocks at my door, fear and terror come. I become paralyzed by the nearness of the end.

How can such people be helped? How can the suffering of a tormented soul be eased? God gives hope. He has a beautiful plan for every person. He sees a wonderful future in the life of every soul who decides to give his life to Jesus. For such people, Eternity begins with all the prospects of its development.

One of the most inspiring ways to transform a soul is praise.

Praise is the ability to notice a person’s hidden virtues and draw special attention to them. It is an expression of approval for certain actions or future undertakings. Praise reveals unnoticed qualities in a person that may enter an open phase of action and bring joy into the life of the one who possesses them.

For many people, praise is one of the languages of love that they understand very well. Subconsciously, they wait for someone to speak this language and help them solve life’s problems.

In the Bible, we find confirmation that praise benefits those who hear it and is useful. We read in Philippians 4:8: “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.”

I once had a German shepherd that I trained. I noticed that words of admiration and praise are pleasant even to dogs. They do not understand the meaning of the words, but they perceive their spirit. I tried to communicate with my dog as with a person, believing that he should understand me, and I became indignant at my pet’s lack of understanding. I raised my voice at him, and he became even more confused. But when, under the same conditions, I praised him, stroked his head, and spoke affectionate words, he was ready in his joy to do everything I expected and even tried with all his might to follow my commands. But at every rough or stern word, the dog lowered his ears and tail, trying to understand what he had done wrong.

How much we humans sometimes resemble such animals. Like creatures without speech, we wait for someone to speak words of approval and support to us, praise us for something good, and breathe something bright and joyful into us so that we may remember the “little tail” of a good disposition and wag it with joy.

I have noticed that there are people who simply say a kind word to you and light a lamp within you. Afterward, you go about rejoicing in everything and seeing the life around you as beautiful.

Kind words have amazing power. They are able to resurrect a person’s spirit to a new and wonderful life. The Bible counsels believers continually to speak words that are “life-giving unto life.”

Let us imagine the following scene. Jesus comes on the clouds of Heaven. Everything grows silent before Him. The trumpet sounds, and He commands the dead who believed in Him to arise. All the saved ascend into the presence of God and look intently at Jesus, waiting for His words. But He is silent. Everyone is filled with the joy of meeting. Friends recognize one another, mothers receive their children, and those who died in agony receive new bodies full of life, health, and energy. Then all the saved ascend to the heavenly Jerusalem.

They gather at the White Throne, waiting to hear what will be said to them. Then the words are heard: “Well then, you unprofitable servants, have you received what you wanted?” I cannot imagine such an address coming from the lips of a loving God.

I do not know exactly what Jesus and the Father will say to Their children, but I am certain that these will be very kind words of praise and encouragement. It will be the most beautiful address ever spoken to people. They will hear words of gratitude for their faith. The speech of Jesus and the Father will be filled with joy over their faithfulness, praise for their steadfastness and courage, and other compliments. An Eternal Covenant consisting of words of love and blessings will be made with us.

The eternal praise, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant: enter thou into the joy of thy Lord,” will sound like the most beautiful song.

There will be no more anger or evil speaking, no insults or abusive words, and no mockery or humiliation. Pride and envy will be removed from our hearts forever. Praise and admiration will become our ordinary words of communication. I believe we should begin practicing them among those around us even now.

If I adopt fear, duty, and obligation as incentives for salvation and use them to inspire people to follow Christ, success will hardly accompany me. I believe all my attempts will be doomed to failure. But perhaps someone will desire to be saved out of fear. In that case, what will such people be able to do for a God Whom they imagine only as punishing and just? Fear and duty are poor incentives. Such motivation may work in an earthly army, but it does not work properly in the army of Christ.

If praise is absent from my vocabulary, I will become a cold and unfeeling person to all my acquaintances and neighbors—someone with whom they can conduct business but with whom friendship is uninteresting.

The mind of every man is designed in such a way that he needs recognition and admiration. Women who know and understand this can very quickly win men’s hearts. They can easily accomplish much by praising and admiring the men they have chosen as friends. It is a mistake to think that only something else draws men toward starting a family. Certain things attract and cause someone to notice another person, but later everything develops into a relationship, and families are formed. If praise and admiration, recognition and delight, are absent from the woman’s side within the family, the husband begins to look for them elsewhere. He desires to understand his significance and seeks a place in life where he will be recognized and respected. But a wise wife knows this secret of a man’s heart, and with her lips she builds her husband’s reputation in his own eyes and in the eyes of their children, neighbors, and friends. Such wives have special value. Children are also very sensitive to praise.

Praise is a language of love that is in great demand. Everyone should learn it. In addition to bringing benefit and happy hearts, the language of praise can also bring special joy to the one who speaks it. Such a person is able to see good in people and notice it where everything appears dark. He prefers to pay special attention to the best aspects of people’s lives.

Love delights in thinking about praise. This is its favorite occupation. It notices a great deal of good in the past, present, and future of every person with whom it has fellowship and friendship. Love does not always have money to give, but it always has support and encouragement that gladden hearts. On the lips of love, simple words of praise and gratitude have special power to encourage many souls toward a better life with Jesus and a succession of victories in the struggle against sin.

The motto, “Finally... if there be any praise, think on these things,” is very familiar to love. It keeps this motto in its kind heart and joyfully shares this blessing.

1. Please read Philippians 4:8; 1 Thessalonians 2:19; Matthew 26:9–11; Luke 19:9; and Luke 21:3–4, and consider these verses in the light of our lesson.

2. What revelations did you receive while studying this subject?

3. What did you understand from this lesson?

4. What is the difference between flattery and praise?

5. May a person praise himself if no one else praises him? Read 2 Corinthians 12:1–10.

6. How can I learn to praise others if I do not know how?

7. What verses came to your mind while studying this subject?