Six Little Words

Day 4: What’s a compliment you have been given that has stuck with you? Who gave it to you? When? Where?

How are you with taking compliments? To be honest with you, I sometimes battle to accept a compliment, even from my best friends. It's silly because at times I can happily accept a compliment and thank the person while feeling pretty good about myself. Other times I'm not so great at receiving what someone has to say and I become a bit of an awkward mess.

There was this one time though, a girl said something to me and it really resonated in my soul. As I walked away I thought to myself "Wow, it feels really great to have heard that."
You see, in High School I was on the Student's Christian Association for three years. In my Matric year two of my very best friends, Sarah and Kosi, and I led the entire committee. Some of my very favourite moments in life happened in those years on the SCA. I was able to teach girls about Jesus, I was able to worship with them and I was able to serve my God daily. I led and delivered hundreds of preaches to the girls of my school and it was something I loved - it was my form of worship. But it was never not difficult. When you stand up on stage and preach to girls about Christ, you're opening yourself up to scrutiny and judgement - all of a sudden you're expected to be perfect as well. I never once wanted to come across as fake, not to anyone.
One day, it was a few days after I had led an evening of SCA, a girl who was a couple of grades below me approached me in one of the school corridors and handed me a letter. This letter basically explained just how much I'd inspired her - which of course was wonderful to hear - but it was the words that she said as she handed the letter over to me that have stuck with me ever since; "Thank you for being so real."