This is presuming that they indeed can be said to have a true character, that existence and sense of self are not merely a succession of ephemeral masks.
I suppose it may be construed as flattery, but I think of it as trying to be respectful and encouraging.
To bring this somewhat more on topic - I attended school with somebody who had a meteor crash through their house prior to moving to our area. In a hallway they had the meteor as well as news clippings about the event.
