It's Praise Week here at Communication FUNdamentals!
The Bible talks about praising God, and we should, for all the blessings He has given us, but it also talks about supporting and being a blessing to others. Ephesians 4:29 says, "Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers." Edifying means to build up. God wants us to build others up, to lift them up when they are down, to support them. This scripture also tells us we should do this in order to minister grace to them. Grace means showing mercy, kindness and service toward others. Here's why this is so important.
I always knew how important it was to praise others, but recently my daughter brought to my attention an article that tells us more about why. It says research shows Young People Prefer Praise.
"We looked at all the things college students love and they love self-esteem more," says lead author Brad Bushman, a professor of communication and psychology at Ohio State University in Columbus."
The article further stated that the students surveyed preferred experiences that boosted their self-esteem and cited things like getting good grades and compliments. It went on to say:
"Part of what researchers analyzed was the difference between "liking" and "wanting," based on study participants' self-reports. They said they liked the rewards listed in the study more than they actually wanted them, which Bushman says is considered healthy. However, the liking-wanting distinction was smallest for self-esteem, suggesting a stronger desire for it than the other rewards."
So not only did they like receiving these rewards, but they actually craved or wanted them:
"It's about confidence in your ability to deal with life's challenges and a sense of personal worth, rather than generalized praise and undeserved rewards."
The article suggests that craving self-esteem can be harmful to a society when it crosses over into narcissism. However, I believe this is much more likely for those who don't follow Biblical principles which say to put others before ourselves.
I wonder if this rise in young people wanting or even craving experiences or feedback that fills self-esteem needs is because society as a whole is just so much busier than it used to be. People are working two jobs to make ends meet. Moms are worried about their children running with the wrong crowd or having too much free time that they are scheduling many more activities than they once did. Nobody knows their neighbors anymore. Are we all too busy these days to take the time to pay those compliments we used to? Do people today feel lost in the crowd? Is life more complicated today making it less likely to feel we are doing well? Does society push self-esteem too much? Or is it that society teaches us to seek conformity rather than treasure our uniqueness ? Are we looking for acceptance from a world that says we are just one of the crowd? Or does society no longer believe in a God who treasures each individual created with love?
What do you think?
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It's Praise Week
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It's Praise Week here at Communication FUNdamentals!
The Bible talks about praising God, and we should, for all the blessings He has given us, but it also talks about supporting and being a blessing to others. Ephesians 4:29 says, "Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers." Edifying means to build up. God wants us to build others up, to lift them up when they are down, to support them. This scripture also tells us we should do this in order to minister grace to them. Grace means showing mercy, kindness and service toward others. Here's why this is so important.
I always knew how important it was to praise others, but recently my daughter brought to my attention an article that tells us more about why. It says research shows Young People Prefer Praise.
"We looked at all the things college students love and they love self-esteem more," says lead author Brad Bushman, a professor of communication and psychology at Ohio State University in Columbus."
The article further stated that the students surveyed preferred experiences that boosted their self-esteem and cited things like getting good grades and compliments. It went on to say:
"Part of what researchers analyzed was the difference between "liking" and "wanting," based on study participants' self-reports. They said they liked the rewards listed in the study more than they actually wanted them, which Bushman says is considered healthy. However, the liking-wanting distinction was smallest for self-esteem, suggesting a stronger desire for it than the other rewards."
So not only did they like receiving these rewards, but they actually craved or wanted them:
"It's about confidence in your ability to deal with life's challenges and a sense of personal worth, rather than generalized praise and undeserved rewards."
The article suggests that craving self-esteem can be harmful to a society when it crosses over into narcissism. However, I believe this is much more likely for those who don't follow Biblical principles which say to put others before ourselves.
I wonder if this rise in young people wanting or even craving experiences or feedback that fills self-esteem needs is because society as a whole is just so much busier than it used to be. People are working two jobs to make ends meet. Moms are worried about their children running with the wrong crowd or having too much free time that they are scheduling many more activities than they once did. Nobody knows their neighbors anymore. Are we all too busy these days to take the time to pay those compliments we used to? Do people today feel lost in the crowd? Is life more complicated today making it less likely to feel we are doing well? Does society push self-esteem too much? Or is it that society teaches us to seek conformity rather than treasure our uniqueness ? Are we looking for acceptance from a world that says we are just one of the crowd? Or does society no longer believe in a God who treasures each individual created with love?
What do you think?
*SUBSCRIBE HERE*: For Even More Communication Fun, FREE Gifts and Exclusive Offers!
x
It's Praise Week here at Communication FUNdamentals!
The Bible talks about praising God, and we should, for all the blessings He has given us, but it also talks about supporting and being a blessing to others. Ephesians 4:29 says, "Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers." Edifying means to build up. God wants us to build others up, to lift them up when they are down, to support them. This scripture also tells us we should do this in order to minister grace to them. Grace means showing mercy, kindness and service toward others. Here's why this is so important.
I always knew how important it was to praise others, but recently my daughter brought to my attention an article that tells us more about why. It says research shows Young People Prefer Praise.
"We looked at all the things college students love and they love self-esteem more," says lead author Brad Bushman, a professor of communication and psychology at Ohio State University in Columbus."
The article further stated that the students surveyed preferred experiences that boosted their self-esteem and cited things like getting good grades and compliments. It went on to say:
"Part of what researchers analyzed was the difference between "liking" and "wanting," based on study participants' self-reports. They said they liked the rewards listed in the study more than they actually wanted them, which Bushman says is considered healthy. However, the liking-wanting distinction was smallest for self-esteem, suggesting a stronger desire for it than the other rewards."
So not only did they like receiving these rewards, but they actually craved or wanted them:
"It's about confidence in your ability to deal with life's challenges and a sense of personal worth, rather than generalized praise and undeserved rewards."
The article suggests that craving self-esteem can be harmful to a society when it crosses over into narcissism. However, I believe this is much more likely for those who don't follow Biblical principles which say to put others before ourselves.
I wonder if this rise in young people wanting or even craving experiences or feedback that fills self-esteem needs is because society as a whole is just so much busier than it used to be. People are working two jobs to make ends meet. Moms are worried about their children running with the wrong crowd or having too much free time that they are scheduling many more activities than they once did. Nobody knows their neighbors anymore. Are we all too busy these days to take the time to pay those compliments we used to? Do people today feel lost in the crowd? Is life more complicated today making it less likely to feel we are doing well? Does society push self-esteem too much? Or is it that society teaches us to seek conformity rather than treasure our uniqueness ? Are we looking for acceptance from a world that says we are just one of the crowd? Or does society no longer believe in a God who treasures each individual created with love?
What do you think?
*SUBSCRIBE HERE*: For Even More Communication Fun, FREE Gifts and Exclusive Offers!
x
6 comments
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I think you’re right, JoJo, we’re just too busy. These days, it seems to take a lot more huffin’ and puffin’ to make that rat turn the wheel of life. I know there are days when I simply can’t keep up and that’s only with “normal, run-of-the-mill” stuff. Everything seems so difficult. I guess we just forget to say the things we need to. That doesn’t excuse it, but I think it gives a BIG reason. We need to stop and smell the roses, as they say, and also give a kind word or two while we’re sniffin’!
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Totally agree. Great article – and something to ponder. Healthy self esteem means someone took the time with you when you were younger and fed that into you. Those kids that are the most healthy are those where that has been a priority – I know this from teaching elementary and junior high students for the past 15 years – you can always tell the kids from good healthy homes :)
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Very good points, Carla and Cindy! Thanks for posting!
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I have been meditating on gratitude and humility before God lately. Taking each day, each moment, each blessing with thankfulness as a gift from His hand is the sure cure for this self- centered, complaining attitude. Perhaps that is why we are commanded to “rejoice in the Lord always.”
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[…] Week here on Communication FUNdamentals! On Monday I shared about a recent study that was done on the need for praise in order to boost self-esteem. With so many people feeling overworked like this woman here, the […]