Titus IX
Remind them to be submissive to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good work, to speak evil of no one, to avoid quarreling, to be gentle, and to show perfect courtesy toward all people. (Titus 3:1-3 ESV)
to show perfect courtesy toward all people
Good manners, similar to showing perfect courtesy, seems to be going out of vogue. We want to say what we want whenever we want without regard to those around us.
But as the People of God… we can present the gospel with our courtesy, with our manners, or with our politeness. Because it shows respect, selflessness, and love.
Sometimes the world gets this more than we seem to. Consider these quotes.
Jane Austen: "Manners is what holds a society together. At bottom, propriety is concern for other people".
Jonathan Swift: "Good manners is the art of making people comfortable")
Adam, in the 1999 movie Blast from the Past: "Manners are a way of showing other people we care about them"
The delightful Dowager Countess from Downton Abbey: "Why do the rituals, the clothes, and the customs matter so much? Because without them we would be like the wild men of Borneo."