Courtesy, please. Thank you.

Introductory commentary by Ken Pullen

The Scripture verse this commentary is about;

Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous:

1 Peter 3:8

Appears to never be read or contemplated, or long forgotten.

I grew up in a different behavioral time in America. And it wasn’t all that long ago. When I was being raised I was taught courtesy and consideration by my parents. Taught to say, “please,” and “thank you,” and to be considerate of all people, respectful of my elders. I grew up when families all sat around the table and ate dinner as a family. No electronic devices interfering with the digestion of the made from scratch fresh cooked meal, or the table conversation. And it wasn’t all that long ago.

The deterioration and demise of courtesy and consideration is nothing more than a visible and audible by-product of the deterioration and demise of U.S. as a people through our embracing selfism and the growing darkness, the growing evil. Rudeness and downright surly nastiness prevail now. People walk about like zombies. Dead eyes. Not acknowledging the world or people around them. A “please,” or “thank you” is rarely heard uttered. Between family members, between friends, between professed believers, and between strangers out and about in the world.

I have literally received dirty looks which can be literally felt when I have held doors open for women. Many actually are hostile in their evil feminist militancy. They interpret courtesy and being reared correctly to maintain a civil society as a sign of them being lesser? So that’s why I hold doors open for them? I was taught to think lowly of women and them incapable of being able to open a door themselves?

Ahh, no that’s not right.

But that’s the message they emit in their pagan based evil feminism dogma.

I have been openly mocked and ridiculed when telling someone, “thank you,” or saying “please,” or “excuse me.” We now interpret those behaviors in our diseased and dying culture as signs of weakness rather than signs of strength and having something on ones heart other than themselves and darkness and a hard cold lump of dung.

There is no reverence for God, Jesus, and the Holy Bible any longer.

There is no respect, courtesy, consideration, humility, decency or manners among the people.

We’re literally a hair’s breadth away from a total meltdown and anarchy. I realize most refuse to believe that but the evidence is all around us and most are missing the glaring signs.

We have become a selfish, cold, bitter, nasty people. Who live and act as if showing courtesy and consideration is showing weakness and fault of some kind — when it is just the opposite.

Sadly, the quote in the illustration below has now become the accepted, entrenched belief and behavior:

But Yasmina Reza, whoever she is, could not be more wrong. The above adopted philosophy and growing attitude is just one more lie the devil is whispering in all the walking dead abiding in darkness sols he has enslaved.

Being courteous is not only a cultural behavior — we are exhorted to be so in Scripture.

So, please, contemplate these things and let is begin being courteous and considerate, respectful and humble with each other. Thank you.

And this is where if there were a door here? I would now hold it open for you. Glare at me and spit all you want. I will never cede, I will never join the ways of rudeness, discourtesy, selfishness, and darkness.

Satan loves nasty rude ill-mannered people. They all serve him.

God loves the considerate and courteous. Especially among fellow believers, friends, and family members.

Try is some time. Please.

Thank you.

Ken Pullen

ACP

Thursday, October 20th, 2016

Commentary by — Mike Ford

1 Peter 3:8

(8) Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous:
King James Version

A short definition of courtesy would be “polite behavior that shows respect for other people.” Does God have anything to say about courtesy? Remember the “Golden Rule”? Jesus exhorts His disciples in Matthew 7:12: “Treat others as you want them to treat you. This is what the law and the prophets are all about” (Contemporary English Version).

If we truly lived by this, we would always treat others with courtesy. Chivalry would not be dead. For those younger folks who may not know, chivalry was an ancient, knightly code emphasizing the virtues of service to others, honor, love, and courtesy.

Consider, for instance, how we treat the “hoary head(s)” among us. Leviticus 19:32 commands us: “Show respect for old people and honor them. Reverently obey Me; I am the Lord” (Good News Bible). There have been times when I have come up on the rear of a slow-moving car and muttered, “Come on, grandpa, let’s go!” only to remember that I, too, am a grandpa!

In all seriousness, though, do we revere the older folks as we should? Do we encourage our children to go last in line at a potluck? Do we take the time to do the simple things like teach our kids to look an adult in the eye when they he or she speaks to them? Do we insist that they say, “Yes, sir [or ma’am],” not interrupt an adult conversation, hold doors for them, and generally, as God urges, “Show respect for old people and honor them”?

Why would we be impolite to the elderly—or anyone, for that matter? Why not move over on the road and let others going faster drive by? Why be rude to sales clerks and wait staffs? Why not use the simplest of courtesies like “please” and “thank you”?

The apostle Paul gives the answer in Philippians 2:3: “Don’t be jealous or proud, but be humble and consider others more important than yourselves” (Contemporary English Version). Now that is truly a hard thing to do. I can hear it now: “Treat others more important than moi? How can that be? The left lane was built for me! All others must go around. Why, if I were to move over and let you by, then I would lose face. I would be admitting defeat. I would be a loser in life’s rat race.” Most people fail to consider that, even if they win the rat race, they are still a rat!

— Mike Ford

To learn more, see:
Courtesy

Related Topics:
“Please” and “Thank You”
Courtesy
Golden Rule
Honor
Humility
Jealousy
Polite Behavior
Politeness
Pride