Flattery

II Samuel 15:6b reads, “so Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel.” Did you ever notice how Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel? Read verses 2-6 and you will see Absalom did it with a form of what we call “flattery.”

“Flattery” is an insincere compliment made with motives of self interest. Encouraging compliments are a good thing – as long as they are sincere. But insincere compliments given for self serving reasons are sinful. Proverbs 26:28b remarks “a flattering mouth worketh ruin.” Proverbs 28:23 says “He that rebuketh a man afterwards shall find more favour than he that flattereth with the tongue.” Proverbs 29:5 reads “A man that flattereth his neighbour spreadeth a net for his feet.”

The evils of flattery can work two ways. Do we flatter people to get our way, maybe to get them on our side against someone else? Or is our ego such that someone can convince us of just about anything, just as long as they precede their plea with “Thou art righteous” (Proverbs 24:24)? We need to learn that any sin of the tongue “defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of h-e-l-l” (James 3:6).

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