Challenge: How to receive praises? How to digest them?
Danger: If not digested, will accumulate to become pride
Learning: how to receive praises with BOTH humility and gratitude
Some people are trained to respond to praises by saying "感謝主!"
There is nothing wrong with saying "感謝主!"
It becomes a threat when one routinely repond to praises by saying "感謝主!" mechanically
Problems with a mechanical response:
(1) Hypocrisy
- People will think: Do you really mean it?
- Mechanical response does not imply humility
(2) Conversation stopper
Example:
- A: "I love your presentation!"
- B: "感謝主!"
- A: "I like the part when you say..."
- B: "Alleluia! 感謝主!"
- A thinking: I have some other comments about possible improvements, but forget it...
(3) Pride
- Saying "感謝主!" but does not take time to reflect and digest
- Instead let those praises accumulate
- Or worse yet, store them up in a treasure box
What i am learning to do when praised:
(1) Be Curious
(1) Be Curious
- "How did it help you?"
- "Which part helped?"
(I want to learn what worked) - "How may it be improved?"
(2) Express Gratitude
- "I am thankful that it helps you."
- "Thanks for your encouragement."
- "I am thankful for my team."
- "I am thankful that God has spoken to you through me."
(3) Rejoice
- It is healthy to rejoice (no need to feel guilty)
- Like children rejoicing for accomplishing some work with their father
(4) Digest
- You don't need to forget. These memory may be called up as positive motivator on rainy days.
- But don't linger on it
- Bring it to the cross
- Imagine praises as someone giving you a bunch of flowers
- You appreciate the flowers and then bring them to Jesus
- Lay it down at the foot of the cross
- This process takes discipline and deliberate effort
The point here is not whether one should or should not say "感謝主!" when receiving praises. The point is, watch out when your response has become mechanical. Say what you mean and mean what you say. In other words, be authentic!
Isaac Watts' hymn - When I survey the wonderous cross
(Stanza 1 & 4)
When I survey the wondrous cross,
On which the Prince of glory died,
My richest gain I count but loss,
And pour contempt on all my pride.
Were the whole realm of nature mine,
That were a present far too small;
Love so amazing, so divine,
Demands my soul, my life, my all.
Isaac Watts' hymn - When I survey the wonderous cross
(Stanza 1 & 4)
When I survey the wondrous cross,
On which the Prince of glory died,
My richest gain I count but loss,
And pour contempt on all my pride.
Were the whole realm of nature mine,
That were a present far too small;
Love so amazing, so divine,
Demands my soul, my life, my all.
保羅在羅馬書十二章一節如此說："Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is true worship." 
