One of the joys of blogging is being able to write about things that are dear to your heart. When you read advice about starting a blog "they" tell you to have a central theme. There are blogs all about baking, Christian living, home decorating, crafting, and the list goes on. This blog is about what it's like to follow the Lord and live a "small town" life in a big city. I like to write about the various things I enjoy as the mood strikes. One of those things is etiquette and manners. It is borne out of a quest to be other minded, inspired by my favorite books of Proverbs and the Timothys.
I have lived long enough and been in a variety of corporate, business, community, and church leadership positions to see the effects of both gracious behavior and that which is otherwise. I am motivated by Bible verses such as these:
" I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all those who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly, and dignified in every way. This is good and pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and come to a knowledge of the truth." 1 Timothy 2:1-3
God is a God of peace and order and He calls us to lead a life that is worthy of respect. There are countless scriptures on being other-minded, which is honoring others above yourself.
I first became enamoured of this subject many years ago when we witnessed the behavior of a Christian family we were getting to know. We were fairly new Christians then and had invited the couple and their four small children to our home for dinner. Being a childless career couple we weren't used to entertaining children in our home. We were so impressed with the manners these children had, the way they obeyed their parents, and knew their place. They were quiet and orderly and such a joy! They were raised not to be the center of attention and to be respectful of adults. I had never seen anything quite like it. Come to find out, their church had been teaching a program called "Growing Kids God's Way". It was a 17 week course that involved a weekly video, manual, homework, and discussion with the goal of teaching parents how to raise children that others would enjoy. It was filled with practical information on what to do and how to train your children to act around others. We were so moved by what we saw that we purchased the program for our church. Even though I didn't have children myself, I learned so much about God's ways, manners & etiquette and practical ways to teach them. I have gotten to watch those four children, now five, grow up and produce the good fruit of lives that honor the Lord and His people. What a lifelong lesson it has been to behold!
Titus 2 says older women ( like me) are to train the younger women to love their husbands and children. I hope in the coming weeks and months to share practical ways to live out our Christian lives so that we may do what is good and pleasing in the eyes of God and in the way we are towards His people.
"To know wisdom and instruction,
to understand words of insight,
3 to receive instruction in wise dealing,
in righteousness, justice, and equity;
4 to give prudence to the simple,
knowledge and discretion to the youth—
5 Let the wise hear and increase in learning,
and the one who understands obtain guidance,
6 to understand a proverb and a saying,
the words of the wise and their riddles." Proverbs 1:1-6
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