Bible Reading: Philippians 1:3-6—I am sure that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on that day when Christ Jesus comes back again. Philippians 1:6
You probably think surviving criticism is tough. So how well do you do when people think you’re absolutely grrrrreat?
Talk about it: How do you react when people pay you compliments?
You might have noticed that it’s easy to slip to one of two extremes. The first is false humility. If someone compliments you for singing a solo, you deny your accomplishments by saying something like, “No, no, no, I can’t even carry a tune.” But everyone who hears you knows that inside you’re screaming, “Say it again! Tell me again how great I am!”
The other extreme is arrogance. You agree with your complimenters to the point of bragging. They say one nice thing and you remind them of twenty other things you do well. You’re like a touchdown-scoring running back who pumps the football to the sky, wiggles his hips, flaps his knees, and motions to the crowd for more applause.
Here’s a better way to handle a compliment: Start by asking yourself if you really deserve it. Really. If the credit belongs to someone else, don’t be shy about saying it. If you indeed deserve the credit, then simply say “Thank you.”
The only thing better than doing something that deserves a compliment is re¬ceiving a compliment with grace. Well, except for this: When you receive a compli¬ment, whisper thanks to Jesus. You don’t have to say it out loud. But in your heart you can tell God that you know he is the source of your stunning gifts, astounding abilities, great looks, and winning personality.
God is the one who deserves the credit for everything you accomplish. And the passage you read tells us why. God is the one who is at work in you, and any good things you’ve been able to do in your life come from him.
From start to finish you are the handiwork of God. And as wonderful as you are, you haven’t reached your fullest potential. God has his hand on your life to make you even better.
God made you like a rose. Left to itself, a rose never reaches its full potential. In fact, untended roses stay small and thorny. But as a master gardener cares for a rose, it grows and becomes even more beautiful. It becomes all that it is capable of becoming. That’s God’s plan for you!
TALK: Aren’t you grateful that God is always with you to help you grow to your fullest potential? How do you see him at work in you?
PRAY: God, thanks that you are at work in us. We want to give you credit for all the good things we do.
ACT: Thank God for a good friend today. But go ahead and pass on a warm compliment to that person too!
