Woe to you when everyone speaks well of you, for that is how their ancestors treated the false prophets. Luke 6:26 NIV
Jesus had very strong words for those who deliberately do wrong, and in this passage we see one of those times when He addressed their like. On the surface, it may appear that the man that everyone spoke well of had anything to do with his being spoken well of, but when viewed from the perspective of Jesus, it will be seen that this is not the case. So let's examine the profile of such a man in relation to what Jesus said of him. Of such a person, Jesus said, "woe to you when everybody speaks well of you", and He likened him to false prophets that everyone spoke well of.
First, let's recognise that for everyone to speak well of you, you have to be different things, at the same time, to the different people. This way, you are able to be to each person what they want you to be. A man of truth cannot be like this because at each time he speaks he speaks the truth, and considering that many people hate the truth, such a person cannot be spoken well of by everyone. A person spoken well of by everyone has to adapt himself to different people's desires so as to satisfy everyone.
Like false
prophets, such a person is economical with the truth; the intention is
to be in the good book of everyone. This is the characteristic of praise
seekers who will do whatever it takes to be praised. But men of truth
do all things to please God, and because they are ruled by what God
says, everyone will not speak well of them.
Toni
Toni
