MIND YOUR MANNERS
"But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up. Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness." II Peter 3:10-11.
Those of us who had the privilege of being reared in a Christian home can readily recall the admonition of our parents "to mind your manners!" For the children to do so reflected favorably on the parents. Our failure as children to do so had the opposite impact.
For us, as the children of God, to bring honor to His name through our actions, we must be mindful of manners! Let us consider three areas of our Christian life where "minding our manners" is very important.
I. MIND YOUR MANNER OF SPEECH
The age-old proverb is quite true: "Two things thou canst not recall…the spent arrow or the spoken word."
James 3:8-10 warns us: "But no man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the similitude of God. Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be so."
David prayed: "Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Thy sight, O Lord, my strength and my Redeemer." Psalm 19:14.
"Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one." Colossians 4:6.
Proverbs 25:11 declares: "A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver."
II. MIND YOUR MANNER OF CONDUCT
"But as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, ’Be holy, for I am holy." I Peter 1:15-16.
"Only let your conduct be worthy of the gospel of Christ." Phil. 1:27.
“Walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God." Colossians 1:10.
III. MIND YOUR MANNER OF DOCTRINE
Ephesians 4:14 admonishes us: "that we should no longer be children, tossed about with every wind of doctrine."
“Till I come, give attention to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine… Take heed to yourself and to the doctrine. Continue in them, for in doing this you will bless both yourself and those who hear you.” I Timothy 4: 13, 16.
“And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers.” Acts 2:42.
