Compliments

Today I ran across an old Peanuts comic strip. It was Rerun and Charlie's little sister. She told him he had nice shoes. His response was to tell her all about them. Her answer was, " When you get a compliment, all you have to say is, 'Thank you'."




That has been one of my problems in life. I don't seem to know how to accept a compliment. It isn't just me.



We all seem to have to explain why what we have is nice
.


If I get a compliment on an outfit I am wearing, I usually have to say, " This old thing?". Or I have to explain where I got it and why.




Why is it that we feel we cannot just say, " Thank you" ?
 Does it go to the tradition of down playing what you have to show respect to the other person? I know that in the Eastern tradition is you are to say how humble your abode is and how lowly your things are, and that in the American Indian tradition it is also to make yourself appear lower than your guest. Are we afraid God will take away our blessings if we appear too proud of what we have?


I also know that the Bible teaches against being a braggart, but really is accepting a compliment bragging?



I know that as a complimenter, it makes my heart sing when the receiver just says thank you.


I feel as though they appreciate my appreciation of their things and they don't need to apologize for their wealth as compared to mine. I am not comparing when I see someone in a nice Ferrari or a mink stole or even a pretty pair of flip flops. I just like what I see and want them to know it.




I know that I also have a problem accepting a compliment. I am getting better and I started trying to do a better job of saying thank you in my prayers. We are to ask for things we want, but we are also to praise and thank
.


There is an old joke that goes something like this:


Jacob and Tevye are pulling their carts together and talking about life and things. Tevye asks Jacob how things are going. Jacob says they are wonderful. His wife fixed a nice bowl of tea for breakfast this morning and then Jacob set out for his day. His hen laid one egg that they would have for dinner. His ox was doing fine on three legs. God is good.


Jacob asks Tevye how he is doing and Tevye says that there has been no rain for days, the grass is too short for his ox to eat, the hen is down to one egg every other day, the tea is almost gone.


God looks down and says if Jacob thinks he is having a great day, now wait till he sees what I have for him tomorrow. And if Tevye thinks things are bad now wait till I'm through with him.


I know that God is not vengeful, but don't you know he gets tired of us saying we have a nice life, but it could be better if we had two cars. It would be nicer to have a new leather coat. It would be great to eat steak once a week.


But doesn't our car work? Isn't my coat warm? Don't we have meat everyday? Why not say thank you for what you have?


I think the simple answer is we don't think about it.


I rarely thank my husband for working and providing for us. It's his job.


It is God's job to supply us with what we want. Not really. He has given us what we need. What we want is just that what WE want.


So, when someone says, " Nice blouse" I will... say "Thank you".