Flatter (v) - from Old French flater: to smooth or caress
1. to praise too much, untruly, or insincerely in order to win favor
2. to please, or ingratiate oneself with, by praise and attention
3. to gratify the vanity of
4. to encourage falsely
The first definition captures the real danger of flattery: its primary motivation is selfish gain. In its most fatal form, the goal is to deceive or ensnare its victim so that he can be guided (or manipulated) into satisfying some need or desire of the flatterer.
The final definition also highlights the danger because flattery can easily come under the guise of genuine encouragement. The recipient may be completely unaware of the flatterer's motives and thereby believe that he is being rightly evaluated, when in fact, he may only be fooled into thinking he's something he's not.
Flattery is not a sin to be taken lightly since it can have devastating effects and leads others astray.
Proverbs 26: 28 "A flattering tongue worketh ruin."
No comments:
Post a Comment