Devotionals

Hits and Hugs

by Anne Adams
11/15/21
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  Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another; Rom. 12:10 KJV

It was the custom that the teacher in the preschool in the church where I worked would ask the children questions, list their answers and then mount the results on a poster outside their classroom door. One day I saw one of these as I passed through the area and found it intriguing. The “question of the day” was “What are good manners?” One child answered “Good manners are hugs.” Another responded “Good manners is saying excuse me when you belch.” However, one intriguing answer was “Good manners is when you hit someone then you say, ‘I’m sorry I hit you.’”

We probably smile at that last one but in a way that child’s answer does reveal a bit of truth concerning our passage. For when we use good manners we are indeed being “kindly affectioned” toward others. Which might bring up another question –why should we have to be courteous to everyone – even those we might just meet in passing?

The answer is simple – yes, that includes everyone and there’s good reasoning for it. So why?

Simply because we our display of good manners might well touch someone in a way we may never know.  Nor do we need to.

Also, when we are courteous to everyone then we’re reflecting how God deals with us.  His consistent love for us means that though he might correct us, he is never offensive or rude. And shouldn’t we treat others the same way?