Terry Paul
Choyce
November 13, 2005, Brunswick Street United Church
For 26 years I taught pre-school. I learned a lot from the kids. One of my most useful lessons was about specific praise. I found something positive to say about everything they did, and I would name exactly what I liked about what they created or said. For instance if they drew a tree, I wouldn't say "that's the best tree I ever saw." I'd say "I really like the colours you chose for your tree" or "that looks like a good climbing tree" or "I have a tree like that in my yard." The child felt like they had created something special, even if, in reality, it was a pretty pathetic tree. The children gained self-confidence in their abilities. They felt good about themselves. And they tried hard to please me. They were eager to learn, they were generally well behaved, and we had lots of fun together. I used to say that my pre-school was the "Happiest place on Earth."
I have used this life skill of praising in everything I do. I try to find the positive, the beautiful, the uniqueness of every person and of every situation. It is rare that I can't think of a good word to say. I want everyone to feel good about themselves, and why shouldn't they? We are each the creation of God, a part of God. As I quoted from Marianne Williamson a few weeks ago:
We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It is not just in some of us; it is in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.
In our culture we often praise children, but we do not praise adults often enough. We might say "thank-you" when someone does something nice, but we do not give specific feedback on what we appreciate or like about the person. Yes, we might say "I like your dress" or "your hair looks good today," but we don't usually say "I like the way you hug people" or "you have such a super sense of humour" or "what you wrote really moved me." Rarely do we help people feel good about themselves. Why is that? We each like to receive compliments. Why don't we generously give them? They are free. They make everyone feel good. And, if they are specific, they are true.
Today we had two Psalms which were about praise. There are 16 Psalms that are called Psalms of Praise. Psalm 145 says " I will exalt you, my God the king; I will praise your name for ever and ever." 146 says " Praise the Lord, O my soul. I will praise the Lord all my life." 147 says "How good it is to sing praises to our God, how pleasant and fitting to praise him!" 148 says " Praise the Lord from the heavens, praise him in the heights above. Praise him his angels, praise him all his heavenly hosts. And I will read all of Psalm 150, which is the last Psalm.
1 Praise the LORD.
Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty heavens.
2 Praise him for his acts of power; praise him for his surpassing greatness.
3 Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet, praise him with the harp and lyre,
4 praise him with tambourine and dancing, praise him with the strings and flute,
5 praise him with the clash of cymbals, praise him with resounding cymbals.
6 Let everything that has breath praise the LORD. Praise the LORD.
Obviously, the psalmists believed that God wanted to have positive things said about him. Throughout the Bible God is called Almighty, Holy, King, the Most High, Everlasting God, our Creator, and our Father. Names of honour and adoration. IÕm not sure God really needs all those titles, but IÕm sure they make him feel even more positively towards those who say them. I recently met a man named Pietro who said that God just wants to be acknowledged. God wants each of us to be appreciative for all he has created for us. He wants us to thank him, and yes, praise him.
Have you ever given a gift to someone and they did not like it and showed no appreciation at all? Did you want to give that person another gift? Probably not. Have you given a gift to someone who was so thrilled and pleased and gushy over the present that you beamed with pride. You wanted to give them many presents in the future. Perhaps God is prone to give more to those who are grateful than to those who ignore or scorn their gifts. Gotthold Lessing wrote "A single grateful thought raised to Heaven is the most perfect prayer." God wants us to say thank-you for his goodness and he wants us to be appreciative for all we have.
I think by thanking people we are indirectly thanking God as well, since he created us all. So by expressing your gratitude, your praise, and your appreciation to people, you are making them happy, and pleasing God. A win-win situation. And, generally, when you treat someone nicely, they are nice right back. So it is a win-win-win situation. Everyone ends up benefiting. So why don't we give lots of praise and compliments? I just don't know. But in this church, I would like to start a "Say something Positive, Do something Nice" campaign. Let us all really try to see the beauty in everyone and then express it. Let us not be afraid to say something nice. Let us not hesitate to lend a helping hand if we can. Let us say Thank-you wherever we are complimented or praised. Let us say thank-you to God everyday. Many times a day. For all of the great things and people who come our way. Let us open our eyes and our hearts to the magnificence and the abundance and the generosity of our God.
I'd like to end with a poem by e.e. cummings:
I thank-you God for this most amazing day;
for the leaping greenly spirits of trees
and a blue, true dream of sky;
and for everything which is natural,
which is infinite, which is YES.
Praise the Lord!
