60 Seconds – Courtesy
Author: Dave Arnold“I am a little thing with big meaning. I help everybody. I unlock doors, open hearts, dispel prejudice. I create friendships and good will. I inspire respect and admiration. Everybody loves me. I bore nobody. I violate no law. I cost nothing. Many have praised me; none have condemned me. I am pleasing to those of low and high degree. I am useful every moment of the day. I AM COURTESY.”
In Acts 27:3, we read of Julius, a centurion of Augustus’ band, who conducted Paul to Rome. He was kind to the apostle, and treated him humanely, with respect. Luke records, “Julius treated Paul kindly.” “Kindly” means “courteously.” Luke wrote, in Acts 28:7, of the courtesy of Publius, the magistrate of the island of Malta, where Paul and his companions were shipwrecked. He states, “Publius entertained us courteously.” Here “courteously” means “with friendly thoughtfulness.” It has been stated, “No person is too big to be kind and courteous, but many people are too little.”
It is interesting to note that the first five letters of the word courteous spell court. Max Lucado said, “In old England, to be courteous was to act in the way of the court. The family and servants of the king were expected to follow a higher standard. “Peter admonishes in 1 Peter 3:8, that, as believers, we are to “be courteous,” meaning “to be of a humble and friendly mind.”
George D. Powers reminds us, “Knowledge, ability, and experience are of little avail in reaching high success, if courtesy be lacking. Courtesy is the one passport that will be accepted without question in every land, in every office, in every home, in every heart in the world. For nothing commends itself so well as kindness and courtesy.”
A consultant was once called on to help rescue a failing business. After making a survey, he recommended, “I suggest you start advertising, and use three media: radio, direct mail, and courtesy. The first two will cost money. The third is free, but it’s the most important one of all.”
“Life is not so short, but that there is always time enough for courtesy” (Emerson).