Words and actions beyond courtesy offend others and cause disadvantages to others. If you truly love others, you must think of them as being better than you and treat them as precious souls. Then you will not act unbecomingly toward them. Now let's check how much spiritual love is cultivated in our hearts.
Two Examples of Acting Unbecomingly before God
If we accumulate unbecoming acts, we will build a wall of sin before God. If we have a wall between us and God, we cannot be protected from diseases or accidents and we may face various problems. But if we have proper attitudes in worship and prayer, we can solve many kinds of problems.
Being Rude During Worship and Prayer
Dozing off during the services is one of the main things that is rude before God. Drowsing during the service is the same as drowsing before God Himself. Then, our prayer cannot be accepted by God, and He will not listen to our prayer.
Using cell phones during the worship service, chewing gum or eating, and allowing young children to run and play freely during the worship service are all actions unbecoming before God. In addition to dozing off, having personal conversations with people next to us during the service and day-dreaming are also rudeness.
Such actions show that the worshipper lacks fervor and heart to revere God. All these acts will cause disadvantages to other brothers and sisters in the worship services, so the one who is doing these things is being rude to them as well.
Leaving the sanctuary in the middle of the service falls in the category of rudeness, too. We have to offer a proper and whole worship service from the beginning to the end according to a certain set of formalities and proceedings. Of course, we should not be late for the service. It is also proper manners to come a bit earlier to prepare for the service.
Prayer is the conversation with God. Praising is a melodious prayer with which we give to God the aroma of our hearts. If we come late without a truly special reason, if we move around during the prayers without necessity, or pray in meaningless repetition while drowsing and having idle thoughts, these too are all being rude before God.
Also, it is rude to tap on somebody or shake a person who is praying to stop his prayer. Even while we are praying, just because somebody is calling us, if we open our eyes and stop praying right away, it is also rude.
Normally, it is not proper to come to church wearing everyday clothes or clothing intended for the workplace. Of course, there can be exceptions, for the Wednesday service or for the Friday All-night Service, some people come straight from their workplaces.
Also, even unbelievers think that it is proper courtesy not to smoke or drink when they attend church. Even if you are a new-believer, it is proper manners before God to try your best to cast away these old habits.
Being Rude During Worship and Prayer
A sanctuary does not only mean the place where we worship. It is every space within the boundaries of the church, including the yard and all other facilities. The thicker the love for God we have, the more we long for the temple of God, and therefore, we will not act unbecomingly in the church. Therefore, we should handle anything that is related with God preciously with all our best, just as we act before God.
What should we do if we see someone selling and/or buying in the sanctuary and disgrace the holy temple? When Jesus saw the people buying and selling in the Temple, He rebuked them sternly and drove them away (Matthew 21:13).
We must not get angry and quarrel, or talk about worldly entertainment or businesses in the sanctuary. It's the same with carelessly handling the holy things of God in the church or to damage, break, or waste them. Wherever we are in the church, we should be careful about even one little word and action and we have to make it holy and perfect. We must deal with the holy things in the church with the same attitude.
Being Rude to Other People
There are many kinds of cultural etiquette in our every day lives such as in greetings, conversations, and in dining. To the extent that we learn the Word of God and practice it, we will have the attitudes of the Lord and not act unbecomingly. Being rude is caused by not caring for others.
If we truly love God, we will not act rudely to other people (1 John 4:20). If we are rude to other people who are seen, we cannot say we love God who is not seen. Usually, if we seek our own benefit without thinking of the others' positions, there will be many acts of rudeness committed. Such acts may cause discomfort in others' hearts or cause financial damage.
For example, when we talk on the phone, we also have etiquette to keep. If we call at late night or talk on the phone for a long time with a person who is very busy, it is to give the person discomfort. To be late for the appointments or suddenly visiting somebody's house, are examples of discourteousness as well.
If we are rude personally and show respect only in official occasions, it is only outward action. God's children should keep the law and order of this world not to act unbecomingly.
We should be especially careful not to act discourteously toward another person just because we are always with the person and we are very close like family. But since we are so close to some people, we do not tend to care for them enough, and so we may just speak careless words or act carelessly hurting the feelings or offending those people. We should correct such words and actions and try to pursue goodness. Then we can achieve the heart of spirit.
Let's achieve the perfect love for God and serve everybody as we serve the Lord. Then we will be able to become precious people recognized by the Triune God, angels, and other children of His in Heaven.
|
Manmin News 
9827
