Praise, Literally

I attended a Bible study group on “praise” -- a very diverse group. One of the members of the group, who recently was severely tested, said: “If you don’t praise, you lose hope.” OBSERVATION: Afterwards, the Bible study leader told me that Europeans tend to qualify praise: we praise in appropriate circumstances, or we praise when we feel so disposed. Africans tend to take it literally: if the Bible says praise, then of course, that’s just what I’ll do.