Courtesy

Anita Delene Manthe
Nov 25, 2017
2 min read

Being courteous is kind! It is an essential part of a gentle, patient, good, faithful and compassionate person. Humility takes others into account when planning and making decisions. Furthermore, courtesy responds politely with and in appreciation of another’s thoughtful considerations.

Are you courteous? Or, are you so prideful and puffed up in your achievements and position that you do not take those subordinate to you into account? You are rude in how you treat them, and in the dishonoring attitude of your responses. If it’s not all about you, your selfishness is revealed. No-one can miss it!

Your self-focus, self-valuing, self-advocating agenda has created a self-destructive environment, and you’re blind to it! You’re blinded by your vision of self! Everything and anything must be about you and if not you become – nasty! Your attitude borders on punishing those who have not paid due attention to you. You bully them until they’ve met some kind of unrealistic need for attention.

Those who work with you, who are subordinate to you – don’t like you, they struggle being around you and working with you. And, you deserve it. Your selfishness, and disrespectful treatment of others has too often landed them in circumstances they should not be in. You blame them for the very situation you created. Yet, they still extend grace to you. They still extend kindnesses and their continued attempts to do so goes unnoticed – you do not have the ability to see it.

Which person are you in the above story, the selfish one, or the selfless one? If the courteous, and selfless – continue and excel still more. Honor the Lord with your graciousness and humility. However, be wise. Make sure you track the work you do, make requests in writing, and receive directions the same way. Do not trust in mankind, trust in the Lord for where He has you, and serve Him in your situation. Live to honor Him, and not others.

Where envying and strife are, there is confusion and every foul deed. But the wisdom that is from above is first truly pure, then peaceable, gentle, easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy. And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace (James 3:16-18).
The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another (Galatians 5:22-26).
Finally, all be of one mind, having compassion on one another, loving the brothers, tenderhearted, be courteous and friendly. Never give back evil for evil, or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, giving blessing, knowing that you are called to this so that you might inherit blessing (1 Peter 3:8-9).