Extravagant Complimenting

Don’t use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them.

A few years ago, Julie and I were traveling together to speak at a women’s conference. As we made our way through the airport, she suddenly stopped.

“That dress looks so lovely on you,” she said to a woman who was sitting on a bench, waiting for her flight.

The woman blinked as she made eye contact with Julie.

“Thanks,” she responded. “I just got it. I wasn’t sure that I’d like it.”

“Well, it looks really nice,” Julie said. The woman smiled, and we continued on our way.

As we reached our gate and sat down to wait, Julie again leaned over to a woman sitting across from us.

“Those shoes are so cute,” she whispered.

The woman smiled as she told Julie the brand and how she’d gotten them on sale.

Afterward, I gave Julie a confused look.

“What is going on?” I asked.

She sighed. “The world is hard enough the way it is, and I’ve just decided that when I see something that looks nice or that I like about a woman, I’m going to tell her. Even if she’s a stranger,” she responded.

Since then, Julie’s habit of what she calls “extravagant complimenting” has rubbed off onto me. I now find myself giving compliments to complete strangers as I go through my days. And I am most often met with smiles and thank-yous from those who receive them.

Being critical, cutting, or cynical is a common practice in our day, but Scripture tells us that as Christians, we aren’t to “use foul or abusive language.” Everything we speak should be beneficial, encouraging all who hear our words. Sincerely complimenting others is one way that we can uplift those we know and even strangers we may never see again. We’ll never know the blessing we may be to someone who really needs it if we start practicing extravagant complimenting.

Kendra

Today’s Act of Gratitude

Look for people you can genuinely compliment.