California In the Morning

I traveled to San Juan Capistrano yesterday, arriving at John Wayne Airport about 3:00 p.m. local time. The trip began about 7:00 a.m. Central Time with a long “to do” list before I could depart. Not a great way to start a trip!

As usual, I’m staying with Ted and Debbie Marlof. Elbert and Luawana Ray picked me up at the airport—I arrived sometime after they did—and took me to my “home away from home.” Nice to have some “Chicago folk” joining us for what is always a delightful, refreshing conference in the California sun.

Very early this morning, Ted’s phone rang. “Who is calling this time of the morning?!” Hey, we were still working on our first cup of coffee; Debbie hadn’t even left for work yet. What was going on with the early morning caller? Ted wasn’t amused and let the answering machine get it.

The experience reminded me of a verse I hadn’t thought about in awhile: Proverbs 27:14. It reads: “He that blesseth his friend with a loud voice, rising early in the morning, it shall be counted a curse to him.”

This rather humorous proverb is pointing to a simple lack of common courtesy. Even if he means well, this friend’s timing is way off. There is a proper time for everything—including hearty greetings—but this man evidently doesn’t know or doesn’t care. Such a person is tone-deaf to the sensitivities of friendship. The idea behind the proverb is that we should be sensitive to how other people feel. Think about them before you speak.

I Corinthians 13:4-5 tells us that charity “is kind” and “doth not behave itself unseemly.” Ephesians 4:32 exhorts us to “be kind, tender hearted.” Courtesy is nothing more than the practical application of Christian love and esteem to the ordinary affairs of life. The dictionary calls it “excellence of manners” and “polite behavior.” It is a combination of tact, timing, sensitivity, and kindness. Courteous people are known not only by what they do and say, but also by what they don’t do and don’t say.

Admittedly, this virtue may not seem as noble as courage or as important as integrity. But when analyzed, courtesy is impossible without a whole host of other virtues, including patience, forgiveness, self-control and humility.

In a very real sense, the test of courtesy is the bad manners of others. Anyone can be courteous to nice people. It’s how you respond to the louts of the world that makes all the difference. That’s a good thing to remember the next time someone calls you at 6:15 in the morning!

Maranatha!