In our prayers for you we always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, for we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love that you have for all the saints, because of the hope laid up for you in heaven. You have heard of this hope before in the world of the truth, the gospel that has come to you. Just as it is bearing fruit and growing in the whole world, so it has been bearing fruit among yourselves from the day you heard it and truly comprehended the grace of God. This you learned from Epaphras, our beloved fellow servant. He is a faithful minister of Christ on your behalf, and he has made known to us your love in the Spirit.

Colossians 1:3-8

When you receive a compliment, it should give you a warm, inner glow. At times you may also feel guilty about enjoying a commendation. After all, isn’t it a form of pride? However, it is not wrong to feel good when we receive a sincere compliment because of something we have done.

By finding pleasure in being commended, we allow others to exercise their gift of encouragement. Their words can lift our spirits.

We also show that pride has not gained the upper hand in our lives when we praise others. A proud person is so preoccupied with himself that he does not notice what others do and has no desire to compliment them. Give people a pat on the back when they deserve it. Compliment the child who does something well. Encourage people when they keep helping others even when they receive little appreciation. Keep trying to please God and the people around you.

Praise loudly,

blame softly.

Our Daily Bread – February 2, 2005