Who Knew That Good Manners Died and No One Could Be Bothered to Go to the Funeral?
What's happening to our senses?
How is it that as we get older some of our senses decrease and others increase? Our eyesight and hearing decline, our memory may get worse and as for our hairline! They talk about men having three basic hairstyles: parted, unparted and departed! But in contrast some of our senses become sharper, as we are more sensitive to rudeness, a lack of appreciation, selfishness and bad manners.
The mute assistants
How many times have you been at the checkout and the shop assistant has never uttered a word, no please or thank you? But somehow, they remember to ask if you want to take out one of the store's credit cards, as they are required to do.
So good manners are not needed to work there, but following the shop's orders are. When my wife and I come across an assistant who is chatty and helpful, we often say "she won't last", for she is too good for the shop.
How often do you say "Thank you"?
As part of her school homework, my 7-year-old granddaughter had to keep a diary for a week of all the times that she had said "Thank you". Hopefully the lesson won't be forgotten when the homework is marked. We will certainly remind her when necessary, so that it eventually becomes second nature to show appreciation.
The Magic Words
Now it may just be that because our hearing is declining that we don't hear "the magic words".
When our children our grandchildren ask for something without saying "please", we often ask "what is the magic word"? Why should we expect any different from adults?
Have we forgotten the manners we were taught as children and think that they no longer apply to us, now that we are older? Mind your Ps and Qs was a regular saying, meaning to say please and thank you, but that is no longer fashionable. Or is it that our "me first" society thinks that it is a sign of weakness to show appreciation to others?
When was the last time you said "Thanks" to God?
Christians believe that Jesus died for their sins. Because our nature is to do wrong, our punishment should have been death, but Jesus took our place. If you were sentenced to die and someone offered to be crucified for you, I expect that you would do anything to repay them. You would certainly be grateful and regularly give thanks for the gift of life.
Well God doesn't ask us to do anything dangerous or costly financially, only that we love Him, believe in His son Jesus, live the best possible life we can and try to love others as much as we love ourselves.
Is it time that we remembered our manners and said "Thank you, Jesus, Thank you, Lord for loving me"?
