Joseph and Daniel were so alike! Young men exiled from their home who ended up in the palace of pagan rulers who awoke with disturbing dreams. Both young men told the ruler, in effect, “I can do nothing, but I know God, and He can do everything.” It reminds us of the apostle Paul, who said, “Not I, but Christ” (Galatians 2:20, KJV).

For Christians, receiving compliments is a bit of a challenge. We’re to be thankful and gracious to the one talking with us, and we don’t want to ignore, deflect, or devalue their kind comments. At the same time, we don’t want to harbor anything in our hearts that can lead to pride or self-sufficiency. That’s why it’s good to think through our response to applause and tributes. It’s always nice to respond with “Thank you,” “Praise the Lord,” or “You’re so kind and encouraging.” One pastor, whenever complimented for his sermon, simply smiles and says, “I hope it was helpful.” Another says, “Thank you, and thank the Lord!”

A big part of being sociable is learning to accept compliments gratefully while giving God all the glory in our hearts.

When people come up and give me a compliment…I take each remark as if it were a flower. At the end of each day I lift up the bouquet…and say, “Here you are, Lord.”
Corrie Ten Boom