"So whatever you wish that men would do to you, do so to them; for this is the Law and the prophets." ~Matthew 7:12, rsv
"You shall love your neighbor as yourself. Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the Law." ~Romans 13:9-10
Are people considerate or pretty rude to each other in your location? How are they in the Nation's Capital, in your town, in stores, on the road, and in your church parking lot?
Just saw a full-on fight today. It wasn't among Christians this time, but I've unfortunately seen that happen before too.
In this high-tech, very connected society that we live in, you'd think that rudeness would have evaporated huh. But there's still way too much craziness to deal with.
Have you faced it in your part of the world lately?
Ever got stuck behind an incredibly slow-to-respond car at a light ..that already changed green awhile ago.. but because the person in front of you is looking downwards while perhaps texting or reading, you are still there surrounded by angry honkers?
Ever feel like joining in to shout out the window at em, "HellllooO sir! The light is about to change to red again and we will all be stuck here!" Sometimes you can't even change lanes and go around them.
Hey, I've been there. My emotions can be so hard to deal with when I inner spirit is countering for me to simply back off and die to it! My friends out in the rural country seem to deal much better with stuff like that when visiting, than my friends in the city can. We see stuff like that real often.
What do you do when you are on the verge of reacting in the flesh over a fairly small thing.. like when you feel like saying something ugly to that clerk who is ignoring the customers and taking their sweet time at the store at precisely the wrong time.. when you really want to be on the road already so you can arrive at your meeting punctually?
I haven't always passed the tests with flying colors!
"Lord, I thought I had already mortified my old man long ago—this old nature that wants to dominate! God, how could you have allowed me to get behind a person like this when I have a time commitment to keep? Feel frustrated! Help me settle down." ..like it was somehow His fault, Kurt. No, this fallen world is our fault not His. god knew exactly what I needed. He sometimes opts to fix me in the fix.
Victory is there for you and me to walk in. In fact, I find that when I start out my day with the Word, drawing upon His love and grace early.. those are the days when I tend to leave home prepared spiritually and I do much better with my attitude. Less reacting and more peaceful acting. God knows ahead of time what each of us will face in our day, so doesn't it make sense for each of us to check in with Him?
Quickie prayers help me. "Man, I thought I was sanctified already, Lord! Help me love as You do!"
"More grace and mercy, Lord. Thanks. Please change me. I'm such a wretch inside! Wanna see em as you do too."
Yeah, I too have my days on the road..and a long ways to go in this spiritual journey of faith. But it helps me to meditate upon the right verses.. via out loud verbal repetition.
"Love is patient and kind; love is not jealous or boastful; it is not arrogant or rude. Love does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrong, but rejoices in the right. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends; as for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away. For our knowledge is imperfect and our prophecy is imperfect; but when the perfect comes, the imperfect will pass away." ~1 Corinthians 13:4-10, rsv
"Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful. Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven; give, and it will be given to you; good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For the measure you give will be the measure you get back." ~Luke 6:36-38, rsv
Yes, in this very social and puterized-society that we live in, there seems to be quite a bit of darkness and temptation to resist. There are real entities to ignore and sometimes to rebuke. You might think you know that wholesome looking person who just "friended you," but then they send you something that is far from wholesome and you must talk... or simply block immediately. We can't let our guard down spiritually..any of us. Don't do it. Gotta be vigilant every day and walk in the Spirit!
As we "progress forwards," what have been some of the first things to go in our so called "advanced society"? Well, i'd say that respect of other people and basic common courtesy have gone out the window. It's tradgic!
How about there? How often do you recognize common courtesy in your part of the world? Us Christians of all people, should be the first ones to recover common courtesy, especially in a family, at work, or in a school situation where you get "stuck with" if you will.. the same people day in and day out.
What are your personal ethics and character like?
I know that you know well what I'm talkin' about in this regard - with this subject. I mean consistantly doing, being, and saying the right things as Jesus would have you do. Talkin' about hearing civil spirit-controlled people voicing stuff like: "Please pass", "Thank you, I'm really grateful.", "Allow me to get the door for you", "You are so welcome", "Please excuse me", "I love you" (instead of "love ya"), "May I?", "Please forgive me—I was wrong", or "Listen, you matter to me."
It's good; it's learnable!
Sometimes I ask myself: What have we as a nation become when the leaders are so selfseeking and constantly over the line? Let's nix rudeness. Do we have too much pressure as a people group ..or training.. in the wrong areas?
Do people who should know better by now, after you've been working with em for over a decade, still call you "bud," because they forgot your name and don't really care to learn it. Just heard about that from a friend who has felt bad that this keeps happening to him. Made me think: Why can't more pastors be human one on one?
How often do people where you live look each other in the eye when talking or even firmly shake hands any more?
I'd say that moral purity, sincerity, honest decency, and common sense have also bolted from the scene in our fast tempo society as well. Sad! But that's why I'm talking about this stuff. Let's fight ..right to get em back. You and I care and we can choose to bring em in ..if we recognize how we miss it all.
"Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven." ~Matthew 5:16, nkjv
"Wisdom calls aloud outside; she raises her voice in the open squares. She cries out in the chief concourses, at the openings of the gates in the city she speaks her words: How long, you simple ones, will you love simplicity? For scorners delight in their scorning, and fools hate knowledge. Turn at my rebuke; surely I will pour out my spirit on you; I will make my words known to you." ~Proverbs 1:20-23
"And Jesus stood still, and called them, and said, What will ye that I shall do unto you?" ~Matthew 20:32
Perhaps you have a lot of book-knowledge Mr Mastermind, great, but more importantly, do you have a modicum of common sense and love?
Are you known for being one on the take..one who has used people.. or are you a giver? Are you a blessing to be around, or do your own parents avoid you? Have you been sheltered and coddled by other adults all your life..yet when you are done dupping em, you smear em? Stop that! Do you live with a bad attitude, love over-critical-negativity, and view authority figures as uber-evil when not all of em are. Perhaps if you'll get real with yourself, you might just see that you're worse than most and need to repent. If the shoe fits, don't you think that it's time to pull your own weight and grow up in the Lord?
We hear, "Hey, I know my rights and I will sue you", "I didn't mean that when I promised it to you—I was just taking longer to decide", "No officer, I'm entitled to it. What's your badge number?"
Chil Jill, if you will. Let's all practice some good ole but long forgotten ..common sense.
Obituary for the late Mr. Common Sense
Today we mourn the passing of a beloved old friend, Common Sense, who has been with us for so many years> No one knows how old he is, since his birth records were long ago lost in a bureaucratic red tape.
He will always be remembered as having cultivated such valuable lessons as: Knowing when to get out of the rain; Why the early bird catches the worm; and Maybe it was my fault.
Common Sense lived by simple, sound financial policies (don't spent more than you can earn), and reliable strategies (Adults, not children, are in charge).
His health began to deteriorate rapidly when well-intentioned but overbearing regulations were set in place. Reports of how a six year old boy was charged with kissing another classmate; teens suspended from school for using mouthwash after lunch; and a teacher fired for reprimanding an unruly student, only worsened his condition.
Common Sense lost a lot of ground when parents attacked teachers for doing the job that they themselves had failed to do.. in not disciplining their unruly children at home. It declined even further when schools were required to get parental consent to administer Cal pol, sun lotion, or a Band-aid to a student, but could not inform parents when a student was pregnant and wanted to have an abortion.
Common Sense took a beating when you couldn't defend yourself from a burglar in your own home and the burglar could sue you for assault.
Common Sense lost the will to live when the Ten Commandments became contraband; churches became businesses; criminals received better treatment than the victims; and when a woman failed to realize that a steaming cup of coffee was hot, and was promptly awarded a huge settlement.
Common Sense was preceded in death by his parents, Truth and Trust; his wife, Wise Discretion; his daughter, Responsibility; and his son, Calm Reason.
He is survived by his three stepbrothers: I Know My Rights, Someone Else To Blame, and I Am A Victim So I Will! Not very many people attended his funeral because so few realized he was gone. If you still remember him, pass this on. If not, join the majority and do nothing.
Where do we begin with this, Kurt? Start where goodness has always originally sprung from, with God in His righteousness. You and I may not be able to change the world in a day, but surely each of us can make common sense and common courtesy more common wherever we go in His Name. We all recognizee that these ole ideas are not at all common anymore ..even among our leadership in Washington who are called upon to be good examples before our children. But both concepts are vital parts of being a good witness where you and I live, believer. Let's fish for people with Christ's kind of common sense and common courtesy!
