I think most Christians understand courtesy. Granted we have somehow raised a generation that must be reminded sometimes to consider how their actions affect others, but most of the time that reminder works with young Christians, bringing about a surprised look and a hasty, "Oh, I never thought of that." Courtesy and consideration should be a hallmark characteristic of a Christian, especially courtesy where it is not deserved.
And if anyone would sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. Give to the one who begs from you, and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you. (Matt 5:40-42)
To have lawsuits at all with one another is already a defeat for you. Why not rather suffer wrong? Why not rather be defrauded? (1Cor 6:7).
Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, bless, for to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing. (1Pet 3:9)
But for some reason we seem to have trouble with this in our homes. Think about this: we often talk to our spouses worse than we do to perfect strangers. Instead of asking politely, we issue orders. Instead of a please, we bellow, or screech, as the gender may be.
I have heard men talk to their wives like slaves, "Bring me a coke, get me the paper, why did you hide my ________," as if its disappearance could only be her fault. I have heard wives talk to their husbands the same way: "Go get me this, go get me that, go do this or that for me, I can't believe you did that in my house," as if it were not his house, too. I even stood in a kitchen once while a wife berated her husband in front of half a dozen other women who were also embarrassingly caught in the onslaught. We talk to the people we claim to love worse than we would ever speak to someone we don't know, standing in line at the grocery store.
"If I can't be myself at home, where can I be?" I've often heard as an excuse. Where you are is not the issue, but who you are. A kind, courteous person will be that way anywhere. To anyone. But especially at home.
Love is patient, love is kind, it is not envious. Love does not brag, it is not puffed up. It is not rude, it is not self-serving, it is not easily angered or resentful. (1Cor 13:4-5)
Dene Ward
And if anyone would sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. Give to the one who begs from you, and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you. (Matt 5:40-42)
To have lawsuits at all with one another is already a defeat for you. Why not rather suffer wrong? Why not rather be defrauded? (1Cor 6:7).
Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, bless, for to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing. (1Pet 3:9)
But for some reason we seem to have trouble with this in our homes. Think about this: we often talk to our spouses worse than we do to perfect strangers. Instead of asking politely, we issue orders. Instead of a please, we bellow, or screech, as the gender may be.
I have heard men talk to their wives like slaves, "Bring me a coke, get me the paper, why did you hide my ________," as if its disappearance could only be her fault. I have heard wives talk to their husbands the same way: "Go get me this, go get me that, go do this or that for me, I can't believe you did that in my house," as if it were not his house, too. I even stood in a kitchen once while a wife berated her husband in front of half a dozen other women who were also embarrassingly caught in the onslaught. We talk to the people we claim to love worse than we would ever speak to someone we don't know, standing in line at the grocery store.
"If I can't be myself at home, where can I be?" I've often heard as an excuse. Where you are is not the issue, but who you are. A kind, courteous person will be that way anywhere. To anyone. But especially at home.
Love is patient, love is kind, it is not envious. Love does not brag, it is not puffed up. It is not rude, it is not self-serving, it is not easily angered or resentful. (1Cor 13:4-5)
Dene Ward
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