I Mean It
I MEAN IT
Read Psalm 12:1-4.
“Something funny happened in Nature Club today,” Katy told her mother as she set the table for supper. “Amy Brown came over to me like we were best friends! I hardly know her at all. Anyway, she told me how nice I looked in my green sweater and asked if it was new.”
“Really?” asked Mom. “You’ve had that sweater a long time, and you wear it a lot.”
“I know,” said Katy. “Then Amy went on to say how much she admired my math grades. I really started wondering what was up when she told me how she always likes to be with me!”
“She must have been in a good mood today,” Mom commented.
“Well, after she got done telling me all those things, she went over to another girl and gave her the same treatment!” said Katy.
Mom looked thoughtful. “Maybe she’s trying to make some new friends.”
“You’re right,” laughed Katy, “and she wanted them in a hurry. I figured it out after the club meeting started. We were electing officers, and Amy was one of the three nominated for president. She thought she could get our votes by giving us compliments. I had already decided Natasha would be the best president, and I guess most of the other kids agreed, because Natasha won. After that Amy ignored me.”
Mom said, “It’s sad when someone tries to control others through flattery. Even the Bible says that flattering people is wrong.”
“I’m going to be sure that I really mean what I’m saying when I give someone a compliment,” declared Katy.
HOW ABOUT YOU?
Have you ever given a compliment because you wanted someone to do something for you? Insincere compliments are called flattery, but actually they are lies. God’s Word refers to flattery a number of times, but never favorably. It’s nice to give a compliment only if you really mean it.
TO MEMORIZE:
To flatter friends is to lay a trap for their feet.
Proverbs 29:5
GIVE HONEST COMPLIMENTS.
From the book
