How Are Your Manners?
Yesterday Barbara and I were entering a restaurant and I noticed an older couple leaving the establishment and, without second thought, I paused and held the door open while they left. The lady smiled kindly as she passed and just before leaving the gentleman offered me his hand and said, “Some time ago when you were born, somebody took it upon themselves to teach you manners.” Shaking my hand he went on to say, “And you just don’t see it much these days.”
As I thought about it, I was convinced we say far too little about manners these days. Allow me to take just a few minutes for you to think with me about some manners that ought to be emphasized for our children.
I. Don’t Interrupt Someone When They Are Speaking.
Interrupting tells people they are lacking in worth and value. If what you have to say is always esteemed more important than what others have to say, you have wounded them by insinuating the lack of importance and worth of anything they would have to say. “Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another” (Romans 12:10).
II. Honor Your Elders.
We live in a time when we often hear our youth say, “Yeah, no, huh, what” or the sarcastic “whatever” to their parents, teachers and others in authority over them. We still believe in addressing those older than us with “yes, sir; yes, ma’am; no, sir; no, ma’am” and if clarification is needed, we say “Sir?” or “Ma’am?”
In the Bible God was very specific as to how we are to behave toward those who have advanced in age beyond us, “Thou shalt rise up before the hoary head, and honour the face of the old man, and fear thy God: I am the LORD” (Leviticus 19:32).
III. Treat Ladies with Respect.
Have you ever wondered where does the tradition of the man walking on the side of the street nearest the curb originate? It was because in the old days when horse and buggies traveled our dirt roads, the man would walk nearest the street to receive any possible splash from the horses or carriages.
Simple manners such as opening the door for the ladies should still be in practice. My father always taught us, “Take care of the women-folk.” This was often heard when we were growing up, but recently when I used this expression, someone laughed because to them it sounded like I was quoting from some antiquated western.
Women will adjust to the shock, so go ahead and try it! I am convinced more of our women would act in a feminine manner if the men would treat them all like ladies.
“Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered” (I Peter 3:7).
IV. Learn From Friends Who Practice Good Manners.
There is a principle in the Scripture which teaches that the crowd we spend time with in communication and fellowship will affect either favorably or not so favorably our behavior. The Bible says, “Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners” (I Corinthians 15:33).
May the Lord help us to cultivate the habits of considerate friends. In everything from table manners to speech, we should know how to act on any given occasion.
-Pastor Pope-