Could I Have a Compliment Please?

My head is reeling. Where do these words come from? How can someone I think of as a friend say something so hurtful?

I had been happily walking along my school hallway when I met up with someone whom I trust very much. Our conversation was short, yet it pummeled me in the gut. All my old insecurities reached for the surface and pain took over. I struggled through the remainder of the afternoon and when I reached my car at the end of the day, the tears flowed freely.

As I made my long commute home, I tried to process all that was said to me. Having someone question my abilities was a blow. In the end, my thought pattern leaned toward – why can’t I get some encouragement? Why do I seem to get the negative thrown at me so easily? Why can’t someone just give me compliment?

God reminds us frequently that it isn’t about getting a pat on the back. In fact, He tells us the opposite. God asks us to humble ourselves rather than looking for personal glory.

Two of the apostles word it this way:

“Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will lift you up.” (James 4:10 NIV)

“Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that He may life you up in due time.” (1 Peter 5:6 NIV)

What that means is our self-worth is not contingent on what others think of us. We should not be thinking that the world is what is going to truly lift us up – that is God’s doing.

Yet we humans love to think of ourselves and worry about what others think of us. We easily get caught up in considering how we can make ourselves look good.

God, being God, defies our human sensibilities and asks us to do the opposite – humble ourselves.

The worldly view of humble is usually not the best picture – simple, unnoticed, or impoverished. God’s definition is different. He wants us to look to Him and trust Him for all things rather than relying on ourselves. God wants us to stand in awe of His mighty works, knowing that He will care for us and protect us.

If we go looking for earthly rewards, we might find them, but do they last? What God is offering does!

I allowed myself to get in a real tizzy over comments that really were insignificant. They were one person’s assessment of my situation. How different my day would have been had I looked to God instead of myself. By tunneling into my own need for recognition and value, I sabotaged myself.

A change in our frame of reference is huge. God values those who humbly submit to His will and trust in His divine providence. As long as we think that our worth comes from within ourselves, we are like a withered leaf blowing in the autumn wind. We have no grounding. How much better to attach ourselves to the vine that is Christ and draw from His life giving well.

We really do ourselves a disservice when we think that we can manage everything ourselves. That prideful attitude can really be a stumbling block to our health and well-being. While independent thinking is not in itself bad, God is asking us to leave our wants and needs, troubles and trials, all at the foot of the Cross. Being humble before God is not our own achievement, but instead is a response to our loving God who cares for us and knows what is best.

My friend, I pray that we may seek to humbly look to God for all that is important. When the world shoves us around and batters us, we can hold onto the lifeline that only Christ can provide. Take some pressure off and let God manage.

We have been given the greatest compliment – God created us in His own image with an unfailing love. We need no other.

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