Why does my compliment jar hate me?

Compliments of the impersonal world

Tue 8 Aug 2023

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My son got his mum a compliment jar. It's a jar filled with compliments, which he wrote on pieces of paper that mum can pull out anytime and read. But then, we found out my son had Googled the compliments and printed them out.

The compliments weren't personal at all, but merely the product of an impersonal Google search.

Maybe...that's how we feel about the universe.

We live in an impersonal universe that doesn't care about us. It can give us nice things like beaches, sunsets and rainbows. But these are the products of impersonal natural events.

But what if the universe is personal?

The Bible says that God made this universe with us in mind. The universe is God's compliment jar to us. It's God who gives us the beaches, sunsets and rainbows.

This is God's way of saying "I love you."

The next time you see a beach, sunset or rainbow, give God a smile. Because it's God's way of pulling out a compliment from His compliment jar to you.

With

Sam Chan

Dr. Sam Chan is one of Third Space's national communicators. He is a cultural analyst, theologian, public speaker, author, medical doctor, and karaoke buddy. Sam was born in Hong Kong, grew up and lives in Australia, studied medicine at the University of Sydney, and did his PhD in Chicago, USA. He is a published author of five books.