How happy you would be when your child empathizes with you and shares sincere love with you! It is the same with God who is Light. He wants us to walk in the Light and share intimate fellowship with Him as His loving child. Those who walk in the Light can share lovely exchanges with God forever, so we need every effort to come forth as His true children who can understand His heart and share everlasting lo ...
[Feature Story] Let's Become the Lord's Holy and Beautiful Brides Who Give out the Fragrance of Christ
"For we are a fragrance of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing." (2 Corinthians 2:15)
The Lord is our Savior and Bridegroom. In order to become His holy and beautiful brides we have to resemble Him and give out the fragrance of Christ. To do so, we must cast away every form of evil by fighting against sins that God hates until the point of shedding blood and have the heart of goodness.
In addition, we have to fill up the deficiencies of body that were formed because we didn't go through a process of learning or experience what we should have. We have to bear beautiful fruit. It is very important to follow the desire of the Holy Spirit in trivial matters. Let's check basic etiquette that we sometimes neglect.
1) You should check how you talk with others
Do you just start right on a phone conversation without identifying yourself?
Do you make faces or touch your head or face often when you speak in public?
Do you speak with a voice that is excessively loud or excited?
Do you habitually speak as if you are teaching or reprimanding others?
Do you speak without smiling as you speak?
Do you habitually point your fingers at others?
Do you speak clearly or do you mumble and murmur?
Do you speak without enunciating properly or speak too quickly?
Do you look around here and there without focusing on the conversation?
Do you bore others by talking on and on about things they are not interested in?
Do you interrupt others and interject what you want to say when others are talking?
Do you give irrelevant answers?
Do you easily use a casual rather than respectful and courteous manner of speaking?
When you are talking to others do you answer your phone or check text messages without pardoning yourself?
2) Checks for Basic Social Proprieties and Etiquette
Don't you wash the dishes right after eating?
When opening or closing the doors do you leave doors opened or allow them to slam shut?
Do you close doors using your foot?
When you change clothes that you have worn do you just pile them up?
Do you leave all kinds of clothes mixed up not arranging them according to the season and their use?
After showering or washing do you leave water all over the bathroom?
After combing or brushing your hair do you clean up the hair on the floor, sink and counter?
Do you put on too much cologne or perfume or apply excessive cosmetics?
Do you wear clothing that is suitable for the occasion?
Do you walk and sit with an upright posture?
Do you make a lot of noise when you walk by dragging your shoes?
Do you habitually bump into things or people?
Do you break things by handling them carelessly without caution?
Do you kick doors and drawers to close them or close them noisily?
Do you often misplace your belongings or leave them lying around?
Do you constantly shake your legs or bite your fingernails?
Do you visit somebody's house or workplace without giving prior notice that you are coming?
When you visit somebody else's home, would you open a bedroom door or look around the house as you like?
3) Checks for Basic Dining Etiquette
Do you begin to eat before seniors start eating?
Do you make noise when eating, especially eating soup?
Do you allow food to stick around your mouth or do you spill food on the table?
Do you scatter uneaten food about on your plate?
Do you talk with food in your mouth or accidentally spit food out?
When you dine with others do you eat either too fast or too slow when compared to others?
Do you serve yourself from serving plates using silverware that you have put to your mouth or that has food on it?
Do you eat only the dishes that you like?
Do you take your shoes off in a restaurant?
Do you just finish eating and leave without asking to be excused just because you have an urgent matter to attend to?
4) Common Courtesies of Greeting and other Proprieties
Do you cheerfully greet others first?
Do you just murmur and look like you are nodding your head when you greet people?
Do you bend your waist and bow too much?
Do you greet people with excessive loudness in a quiet office?
Do you frequently cancel meetings right before it without any notice?
Do you prepare in advance when you go on a trip or just pack your bags the night before and have problems because you do not bring what you need?