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Courtesy and kindness ought to “come natural” to a Christian. Rudeness, insensitivity, sharp and cutting words are not a part of the refined behavior that should characterize the elect. Such traits have caused countless doors to be forever slammed shut against the Gospel. These ill manners are born and bred in utter selfishness, apparently incapable of considering the possibility that their fellow-beings might have feelings. Those who boast, “I always say what I think, and everyone knows it,” ought to be sentenced to a year’s confinement with none but their own kind. Then maybe, just maybe, they would awaken to their ugliness. If these boors could hear what others think of their total insensitivity to their neighbors’ feelings, they would surely be ashamed. For myself, when I run across those who must spill every thought they ever have (usually with the volume wide open), I avoid them. Generally, they can hardly ever be helped because they already know all there is to know.
While this utterly childish disposition may be found in all ages of people, it seems to be most common to those who are older. It appears that some reason that length of years gives them the right to run everybody’s business, be downright discourteous and a regular grouch. Not only have the unsaved been repelled by such rudeness, but many a church has also been divided because some loud-mouth sounded off and wounded someone’s soul.
“People shouldn’t be so sensitive,” you say. Perhaps not. But no “perhaps” about it, people should not be so ill-mannered and thoughtless of others! “Love Suffereth long, and is kind” (1 Cor. 13:4); “In love of the brethren be tenderly affectioned one to another;” Be not wise in your own conceits” (Rom. 12:10, 16); “Put on therefore, as God’s elect, holy and beloved, a heart of compassion, kindness, lowliness, meekness, longsuffering” (Col. 3:12); “but the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, meekness, self-control; against such there is no law” (Gal. 5:22-23). There is no place on earth where kindness, gratitude, thoughtfulness of others and courtesy are unwelcome. How beautiful the life adorned with such increasingly rare jewels.
[Note: I wrote this article for, and it was published in the January 3, 1975, edition of the Granbury Gospel, weekly bulletin of the Granbury Church of Christ, Granbury, Texas, of which I was editor
Attribution: From thescripturecache.com; Dub McClish, owner and administrator.
