Praise of someone or of something only becomes real when it becomes public.
We know real praise when we encounter it: The roar of the fans when the home team scores a touchdown. The applause of the crowd when the singer takes the stage. The rising of the congregation as the bride walks down the aisle. The cooing of family members as the newborn is carried out to meet them for the first time.
We are communal creatures. The purpose of praise is to draw others’ attention to something wonderful or beautiful or precious. Praise that is kept private might be enjoyable for you, but it is not real praise until you give in to the awe that is bursting within you and share the glory you see with someone else.
Real praise fills the room with the fragrance of a perfume that no one can ignore. Because someone so praiseworthy ought not to be ignored.
