January Reflection: Compliments

This month I'm going to participate in with January Reflections hosted by The Glorious Impossible. Take a look!
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Like most of us, I love compliments.

Not in excess. And not with false flattery. But true, pure, well meant compliments that bring delight to the soul.

This week with January Reflections, we were asked, "what was the best compliment you received this past year?" and the more I contemplate, the more I wonder.

It's not that I received an extraordinary amount of compliments... at least not free lanced compliments that came without prompting. (I may have forced my family to compliment my superb cooking skills now and then). But nonetheless, it's hard to single out a favorite beaming smile, approving glance, or voiced word of praise.

After gaining 35 pregnancy lbs this last year, and successfully losing it all again, I loved to received the  "You look great!" and "You're so slim!" compliments.

After having a 3rd child, and a third son at that, I delighted to be encouraged with "You seem to have it all together" and "Your boys are so well behaved."

I also found the, "You're the best nurse I've ever had" job related compliments, and the "You and your husband are so happy together" marriage compliments to be especially nice.


But I think, if I'm really honest, really really honest, the best compliments I've received are the ones that have brought praise to my Savior...and not to me. "The Lord is doing a mighty work in you!" and "God's grace is sufficient!"



Before I sound "holier than thou," let me admit that I was more than a bit begrudging when the realization first crossed my mind. Must the best offered praises spoken to ME, pass me up and instead go straight to the Lord? Does HE always need to receive the glory, even if I'm the one who did the work?

Sigh.

Though I know that it is God working in me, I still struggle. I wrestle. I begrudge. Even for the works that are clearly His, I desire the credit. Yet what an honor it is to be sanctified by God's grace, and to have the Lord, God Himself, working in and through me.

Lord, less of me, and more of thee, I pray! May I never skip the opportunity to turn down a compliment and to pass it up to you.