Welcome to our service today. It is great to have you here and we would love to invite you to stay after the service and join us for tea and coffee.

How do you respond when someone compliments you? Some people love receiving praise because it lifts their spirits and makes them feel valuable. Others are uncomfortable with it. They look down at their feet or offer reasons why they really don’t deserve such praise. I’m sure we’re all guilty of that at some point!

For Christians, there’s another dilemma. We’re called to be humble, so what are we to do when others say good things about us? Because pride is always waiting to raise its ugly head, we need to be careful not to let praise puff us up. Some believers think that accepting a compliment is a sign of pride, so they make a big show of giving all the glory to God when it’s actually fine to simply accept the compliment.

My advice is simply to say, “Thank you very much.” Then whisper a prayer in your heart to the Lord, thanking Him for the blessing, recognising that anything worthy of praise ultimately comes from Him.

Our character is tested by the praise that comes to us. Every compliment that comes into our ears should quickly be returned to God. If we hold onto it, the poison of pride will begin to infect our hearts. But if we pass the praise to God, humility takes up residence in our souls.

With love & blessings, Sandra