How do you respond when someone compliments you? As Christians, we’re called to be humble, so knowing what to do when others say good things about us can be confusing. Because pride is always waiting to raise its ugly head, we need to be careful not to let praise puff us up. But this doesn’t mean we have to refuse every accolade in order to show our humility.
My advice is simply to say, “Thank you very much.” Then silently thank the Lord for the blessing, recognizing that anything worthy of praise ultimately comes from Him. If you felt encouraged, let the person know what the comment meant to you. If you receive praise for an achievement that was really a group effort, be sure to appropriately commend all who were involved. A blessing is more enjoyable when it’s shared.
Our character is tested by the praise that comes to us. Every compliment that graces our ears should ultimately rebound to our heavenly Father. If we hold onto it, pride could infect our heart, but humility comes when we pass the praise up to God.