| Things to Live For |
Chapter 12 |
Page 6 |
The aim of all these men is to make their own brightness or greatness apparent to others, to have their neighbor duly impressed with their importance. Unfortunately, however, the effect is in every case just the reverse of that intended. Egoism belittles a man. Personal vanity dims the lustre of a name. We would better be content to have our good deeds go unpraised than that our own lips should speak the praise. The story of our life should rather not be told than that we should be our own biographers. The wise man’s counsel is good:–
Let another man praise thee, and not thine own mouth;
A stranger, and not thine own lips.
The praise of others, if sincere, is honorable; but when we take it upon ourselves to tell the story of our own greatness, or point out the excellences of our own character, we do that which is unseemly. It were better that we go on with our life and work, doing always our best, and then leave in God’s hands all the matter of praise and reward.
Page 6