Have you ever been stopped in your car to pull out into traffic and another car snakes between you blocking your view? You refuse to move because you cannot see traffic through this person and then the guy behind blows the horn for you to move because he can see you have a clear shot. What ever happened to manners? I read one time a story of an older man holding a door opened for a young woman who responded with, "You don't need to do that for me because I am a WOMAN." The kindly man said, "I am not doing it because you are a woman. I am doing it because I am a gentleman." Growing in the south with a mom from South Carolina, I learned manners in speaking to those older or in positions of authority with a "Yes,sir or ma'am." I learned to call adults with a Mr. or Mrs. and their last name and I would never call an adult by their first name. I had a young man come to me as a seventh-grader and called me Steve. I politely said until he was an adult he should call me Pastor Steve or Pastor Mentzer but not just Steve. Eventually all the children learned to use this for their teachers as well: Miss Vicki, Miss Pam, etc.
The word courtesy in its literal translation means "of have manners worthy of courts". Now we can guess it means for legal courts but by the 15th century most European countries had regal courts for kings and queens. The manners needed in those cases would be very formal. Women would curtsy and men would bow to show respect for the monarch. The sovereign was totally due this respect by law. We see agreements between rulers and their subjects which stated the king or queen would protect the individual and the other person owed them taxes, food or other obligation because they were the nobility. Kings could also ennoble others because of acts of bravery or others things.
In the Old Testament we see God making such agreements with men like Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and many others. He would be their God and they would be his people. They were to live by certain rules and obligations and if they disobeyed these people would become the subjects of pagan rulers. God was due this because he was above his creation. God has also ennobled us.
"Blessed are those you choose and bring near to live in your courts! We are filled with the good things of your house, of your holy temple. Psalm 65:4
Believers have been invited into the courts of God by blood. He gave his Son to permit us into these sacred courts made holy by his holiness. Thus we are to live as members of his courts. No lying, stealing, cheating, gossiping, etc. These he has written on our hearts and reminds us. He had made us a part of his kingdom and like the grandson of Saul whom David blessed, we will eat at the King's table forever. Take your elbows of the table and be courtly.
WATCH THE VIDEO BY CLICKING ON THE IMAGE. TODAY, IT IS ON MANNERS.
The word courtesy in its literal translation means "of have manners worthy of courts". Now we can guess it means for legal courts but by the 15th century most European countries had regal courts for kings and queens. The manners needed in those cases would be very formal. Women would curtsy and men would bow to show respect for the monarch. The sovereign was totally due this respect by law. We see agreements between rulers and their subjects which stated the king or queen would protect the individual and the other person owed them taxes, food or other obligation because they were the nobility. Kings could also ennoble others because of acts of bravery or others things.
In the Old Testament we see God making such agreements with men like Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and many others. He would be their God and they would be his people. They were to live by certain rules and obligations and if they disobeyed these people would become the subjects of pagan rulers. God was due this because he was above his creation. God has also ennobled us.
"Blessed are those you choose and bring near to live in your courts! We are filled with the good things of your house, of your holy temple. Psalm 65:4
Believers have been invited into the courts of God by blood. He gave his Son to permit us into these sacred courts made holy by his holiness. Thus we are to live as members of his courts. No lying, stealing, cheating, gossiping, etc. These he has written on our hearts and reminds us. He had made us a part of his kingdom and like the grandson of Saul whom David blessed, we will eat at the King's table forever. Take your elbows of the table and be courtly.
WATCH THE VIDEO BY CLICKING ON THE IMAGE. TODAY, IT IS ON MANNERS.
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