What can a word of compliment do for someone?
A word of compliment can do more for a person than anything they can imagine, because everyone likes to be complimented when a job is well done. It satisfies a universal human desire for recognition and can have a greater positive impact than expected.
Les explains that Paul was human just like everyone else. Titus had come from Corinth with a good report about how the Corinthians still loved Paul and held him in high esteem, and that thrilled Paul even more than seeing Titus. Les points out that there is no person who does not like to be complimented. When a job is well done, people want a word of compliment. Les says he has no problem thanking people who do a good job, because everybody likes a word of compliment. He clarifies he does not want insincere, flowery stuff, but a genuine word of compliment can do more for you than anything you can imagine. That is how Paul responded: he rejoiced all the more at their esteem, even though his earlier letter had made them sorry, because it had to be done.