Several years ago I was reading a magazine article on business consulting. (My minor in college was Organizational Development.) One of the authors was saying how hard it is to get people in business to build supportive relationships. He discovered that good relationships are, in his words, "Little more than good manners!"
That is good news. Here is the bad news: Many people do not possess good manners! Are Christians models of good manners?
Does the large number of people dropping out of church say we need better manners? Maybe.
Does the fact that many people are refusing to drop into church means we need to develop better manners? Maybe.
Would you like to guess? Or do you want to see what research by the Barna and Gallup organization's discovered? Bara says our manners need an upgrade. At Hope Church yesterday I heard they are teaching my book, Listening for Heaven's Sake again. That is how we teach good manners.
Proverbs says that "Death or life are in the power of the tongue".
Do yoiu want to speak life and caring? Get the book and take the class.
Here is a list of some marks of good manners.
1. Warmly welcome all persons regardless of race, creed, color, class, dress, behavior, or physical condition.
2. Listen patiently.
3. Do not interrupt or lecture. Set up dialogues where there is a back and forth discussion.
4. Invite folks to meet and eat together.
5. Refrain from debating and arguing about differences. God will reveal the truth.
6. Smile and show warm accptance of everyone.
7. Pray for peace.
"My father used to say, ‘Don’t raise your voice. Improve your argument." Desmond Tutu
You can have good manners but you might need my books. Try Hope and Change for Humpty Dumpty. Get it here as a PDF so you can print it or read it on your electronic device.
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