TREAT EVERYONE WITH COURTESY

“Be gracious in your speech. The goal is to bring out the best in others in a conversation, not put them down, not cut them out.” Colossians 4:6 MSG

 

One of the statements we make during our confession is: “I treat everyone that comes in contact with me with courtesy, I let the light of God shine through me because I am an extension of God to my world.” The question is, how many of us truly act on these words? How do you treat people at work, at school, at the stores, even in the church and at home? Are you someone who speaks to people nicely, or are you someone that’s very rude, who gets upset at every little thing. Now don’t misunderstand me, there will be occasions for you to be upset, but the Bible tells us that in your anger, do not sin. We must understand that we are the only Bible some people will ever read, and so we must ensure that our actions are in line with the scriptures. We must learn to live by the popular acronym WWJD (what would Jesus do?).

 

Our text clearly states how God expects us to relate to people as believers. The word “gracious” there means kind, pleasant, courteous, polite. God expects these when people describe how we relate to them, these would be the adjectives used. This is because the goal is not to bring down anyone, but rather to lift them up. People should leave better after you have met with them. Even when you are correcting, correct in love, always have the goal in mind.

 

Child of God these are the things that set us apart as believers, if not, we are just the same as everyone else. Refrain from using abusive words, in fact, they should not be found in your vocabulary. If you find yourself in a high tempered situation where no good words come to mind, take a walk, just a little moment to breathe and cool off. 1Peter 2:17 tells us to “Honour all men…” It cuts across everyone, no exceptions. This is what it means to be the light of the world and the salt of the earth.

 

Further Reading: Romans 12:10, John 13:34-35

Daily Bible Reading: Morning- 1 Kings 19-20; Evening- Luke 23:1-25