1 Peter 3:8-9 Finally, be you all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brothers, be pitiful, be courteous:… Sir Arthur Helps had the happy faculty of putting expressions of wisdom into a few words. It was he who said, "Familiarity should not swallow up courtesy." Probably one half of the rudeness of youths of this day, that later in life will develop into brutality, is due to the failure of parents to enforce in the family circle the rules of courtesy. The son or daughter who is discourteous to members of the family because of familiarity with them is very likely to prove rude and overbearing to others, and very certain to be a tyrant in the household over which he or she may be called on to preside. There is at this day undeniably among the rising generation a lack of courteous demeanour in the family. Of all places in the world, let the boy under stand home is the place where he should speak the gentlest and be the most kindly, and there is the place above all where courteous demeanour should prevail. The lad who is rude to his sister, impertinent to his mother, and vulgar in the house, will prove a sad husband for a suffering wife, and a cruel father to unfortunate children. The place for politeness, as Helps puts it, is where we mostly think it superfluous. Parallel Verses KJV: Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous:WEB: Finally, be all like-minded, compassionate, loving as brothers, tenderhearted, courteous, |
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