Wednesday; October 12

During our visit yesterday, I mentioned tipping and encouraged us to do what we can to financially help out our fellow man. While that was valid point, that really wasn’t where I wanted to end up, but I just ran out of room, so here is Part II. Just like tipping don’t really cost us much – and can pay tremendous benefits to the people who receive them – have you ever thought about how we approach compliments? For some of us, we act like a compliment is something that is in limited supply. We only have so many of them, so we had better save them for the people who really deserve them. We tend to hoard them and only share them with those who truly deserve them. Folks, that sounds silly doesn’t it? We all know compliments are like Lays potato chips … apply them freely, we’ll make more! In fact, the more we hand out compliments, the more likely we are to share more of them. When being complimentary becomes habit … when we see just how much joy it brings to others … we are more apt to offer them.

Expressing compliments doesn’t cost us a thing, therefore it is like investing free money in others! Why shouldn’t we do it? Paul encouraged the church in Thessalonica to keep on encouraging each other by writing, “Therefore encourage one another and build up one another, just as you also are doing.” (I Thessalonians 5:11). (I think that is kind of neat that he compliments them for complimenting others!) How would our world and our lives change if we were as liberal with our compliments as we are with our criticisms? Let’s make sure we look for reasons to laud people rather than lambast them … when we do, we’ll make our attitudes and their day better!

Think About It!

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