Let’s be honest—many of us don’t know what to say when someone compliments us at church. Maybe you just sang a solo or led a Bible study, and someone says, “Wow, that really blessed me!” And your brain goes into overdrive trying to find the most humble, most spiritual thing to say.
We often fall into one of two ditches:
1. The “It Wasn’t Me” Response
This one goes:
“Oh no, it wasn’t me—it was all God. I just opened my mouth and He took over.”
While we’re trying to deflect praise and give glory to God (which is great!), sometimes this comes off as robotic or even fake. Let’s be real—God gave you the voice, yes, but you also practiced. You showed up. You were faithful.
When you are saying “It wasn’t me” every time someone praises you is like a donkey who would say “Hey, its not me”, when Jesus rode the donkey into Jerusalem and people laid out their clothes. Of course, they know it’s not you.
2. The “I’m Just a Worm” Response
Another classic is:
“I’m just a sinful worm. God is using me until He finds someone better.”
Oof. That might sound pious, but it’s not healthy or biblical humility. It’s more like spiritual self-deprecation—and it doesn’t really help anyone.
What’s a Better Way?
A simple, sincere “Thank you” goes a long way.
The Bible says in Proverbs 27:21 that how we respond to praise reveals our character. It’s not about denying your role or pretending it didn’t matter. It’s about receiving encouragement with grace, not letting it inflate your ego, and recognizing God’s role without erasing your own effort.
Think about it: Jesus said in Luke 17:10 that when we’ve done everything we’re supposed to do, we should still say, “We’ve only done our duty.” So yes—be faithful, be humble, but don’t awkwardly dodge a compliment. Accept it with gratitude and move on.
You Can Feel Good About Doing Good
It’s not wrong to feel good about what you’ve done—especially if it pleased God. 2 Corinthians 5:9 reminds us that our goal is to please Him. So if you’ve served well, smile, say thank you, and give God the credit without discrediting what He did through you.
Let’s Not Make It Weird
Next time someone says, “You did amazing,” don’t panic. Just say:
“Thank you. That really means a lot. I’m grateful God could use it.”
That’s humble. That’s real. And it leaves both people encouraged.
Let’s keep it simple, honest, and Christ-centered—but let’s also learn to accept encouragement like normal human beings. 😊
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