Dear Lord; Happy Tuesday Father!
First off Father, I want to raise Kim Miller up in prayer to You once again. Her powerful testimony in the video I linked to in yesterday’s post has very much been in my thoughts, and continues to inspire further introspection of my own Faith. Lord, please grant Kim Your peace, Your comfort and if it be Your Will, Your healing that she may continue to know Your abundant presence in her life.
Today Father, I’d like to discuss manners and courtesy, or more specifically the lack of them I’ve been seeing as of late.
During a quick trip at lunchtime over to the nearby WalMart, I was confronted a number of times with blatant examples of selfishness, disrespect and a general disinterest in the feelings of others. Simple little things like:
In a busy parking lot, taking up two full spaces to avoid being parked next to…
People not looking behind them when going through a door to see if someone is following close by before letting it swing closed…
Shoppers standing in the middle of a narrow aisle chatting while people and carts sit behind them waiting for them to move…
Parents allowing their young children to run around unsupervised and then getting upset when other people question them…
Leaving shopping carts rolling all over the parking lot when there are plenty of cart return stations nearby…
It’s very frustrating to witness such widespread disregard Father. And while I certainly ran into several smiling, courteous folks today as well, they were somehow less obvious than those whose focus was very much on themselves. Now, I’ve absolutely been guilty of allowing my mood to sidetrack my manners now and again Lord… I believe we all have. This begs the question; how would You have us act towards others so as to best reflect Your Love?
With forgiveness and compassion:
“Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” – Ephesians 4:32 (NIV)
With thought and empathy:
“Do to others as you would have them do to you.” – Luke 6:31 (NIV)
In the spirit of peace and unity:
“Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification.” – Romans 14:19 (NIV)
With humility:
“For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.” – Luke 14:11 (NIV)
And with Love:
“For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”” – Galatians 5:14 (NIV)
It’s so handy having Your Instruction Manual Father. 🙂
Heavenly Father, please help guide our words and actions to best exemplify the behavior that You desire of us. Make Your light visible through our lives, so that others may witness the peace and compassion of Your presence in us.
In Jesus’ Name we pray,
Amen.
~Phather Phil
Hi, I’m Phil Malmstrom, a.k.a. Phather Phil. I’m self-employed, father of two wonderful young men, an ordained minister who delights in spreading Jesus’ Message of Hope and Love, a science-fiction junkie, an aspiring photographer and above all that one of God’s Children who rejoices in His Blessings each day. 
These are all things that can really frustrate me as well. And why is that those things are more noticeable to us than the good? I often times remember the bad and not the good. I want to focus on the good. Praise God His Word is handy and always encourages us. I want to be like Him. I want to show grace and compassion. Great post.
That’s a very good question Jenifer… The negative behaviors really do seem to “stick out” more than the positive ones, don’t they? Thankfully, we always have God’s Word to guide our focus to where it belongs. 🙂
Have a Blessed Day!
So funny, I was just thinking of this today as I shopped at Costco and the grocery store. It seems like people are increasingly impatient and angry all over the place. If it were not for the peace that God grants me and all of the Words that you listed above I’d be just like that. When I remember that, I am much quicker at responding with kindness and grace. Great post 🙂
I’ve gotten that impression as well Heidi… With the stress and uncertainty that many people live under each day, without Christ in their hearts to strengthen them it eats at their souls, and eventually works it’s way outside to others. We need to keep them in our prayers, and ask God to grant them the peace we find in Him.
Have a Blessed Day!
It is very frustrating to encounter people like this, but as I was reading, I was wondering how other people would describe my behavior. I’m glad that you discussed our responsibility in our actions towards others. Love all the scriptures you listed.
That’s a good question Lisa… I wonder what people think of MY behavior… Something to think on. 🙂
Have a Blessed Day!
Phil,
I am so glad you wrote about this, because I too get frustrated by lack of courtesy, and I have to say it has made much more aware of how I behave towards other people and sometimes it is not always Jesus like, I am a work in progress. I get especially frustrated by parents who let their kids run around and don’t supervise them, I always thought I was less tolerant of this kind of behavior because I am childless. Thanks for bringing this out in the open, to remind me to always be courteous towards others. Besides we never know that perhaps the simple act holding the door for someone or things of the like could be just what that person needed at that moment, to remind them that they matter, when perhaps they thought they didn’t.
Blessings.
Great points Kandi. By keeping Jesus in our hearts and acting as He bid us to, hopefully we can shine some of that light into other peoples’ hearts as well.
Have a Blessed Day!
You can see a lot of interesting folks at the Walmart…it’s a world unto itself! We noticed how rude people can be this weekend at a Christian conference we went to…
You do indeed Allison… I’m not a big fan of shopping there, but it’s a necessary situation for a number of items here. It is a little disturbing to me that you’d see that behavior at a Christian Conference though… Hopefully God will work on their hearts.
Have a Blessed Day!
Imagine a world where everyone heeded the golden rule – which is such a simple rule!
It is indeed Debra… And yet, so many miss following it.
Have a Blessed Day!
Sad to say this is society today. People are not being taught respect for ones self much less for other people. Some will say that people have so much on their mind and so much to do but I think the biggest factor they don’t have the respect for themselves or others. When I was being raised we where taught respect from the get go. We would never call our parents by there first names and always screws adults with respect by the us of mr., mrs., miss., aunt, uncle, grandma or grandpa not that they where relatives but to show respect. Parents today are more interested with being friends with there children than parents and teaching them. We need to pray for help in turning this around. For by turning this around there will be major changes in the world that will blow the socks off most people, from lower crime rates, better reports from schools and the list goes on. All due to learning respect of oneself and others.
Very true Daniel… Thank you and welcome!
Have a Blessed Day!
My last comment the word screws should have been called