Eliza, a podcast listener from the Philippines writes,

and Pastor John, thank you for your episode on praising others,

but not flattering them.

That was episode number 719 in the archive.

The flip side of flattery is where I find myself.

In receiving encouragement, I immediately question motives

and assume that people are praising me only in order

to get something from me, which is flattery,

as you described.

So how do I receive praise from others

without doubting their motives?

Well, let's start with the biblical teaching

that this kind of doubting or suspicion as a habit

is unloving and therefore wrong.

Paul says in 1 Corinthians 13, verse 7,

love bears all things, believes all things,

hopes all things,

and doers all things,

and the very least that Paul means when he says,

love believes all things and hopes all things.

The least that he means is that we should not be

unduly suspicious about other people's motives.

...