Good manners, politeness and respect are qualities which are seriously lacking in our world. Check-out workers in supermarkets are not always the friendliest. Road manners are often displaced by road rage. Holding the door open for those following, simple thank-you's and expressions of appreciation are often simply forgotten. Customers berating shop assistants in loud and aggressive ways in full view of the public is a common occurrence. No doubt you can go on and add many more examples.
Sociologists, I feel sure, will be able to offer in depth reasons why good manners and respect are good for a society and prime among them will be that a kind thoughtful society will operate far more smoothly than one in which aggression and disrespect predominates. Some have also learned that they can get further with people with a kind word rather than a harsh word.
The entertainment industry however, seems to have found that it can tap into the mind of society and further its own financial interests by promoting aggressive, macho belligerence and offensive behaviour as the way to achieve results. I am sure that I am not the only one who increasingly cringes at the bullying, offensive rudeness and plain self centred bad manners that is often presented as popular entertainment. It upsets me sufficiently to lose interest. When I see that sort of behaviour duplicated out on the street I find myself wanting to defend the target of such behaviour, and at the same time uncertain of how to react in an appropriate way.
It should come as no surprise that the Bible puts politeness and respect at a very high level. In fact, it came as somewhat of a surprise to me when I saw how high. Leviticus 19:32 reads, "Rise in the presence of the aged, show respect for the elderly and revere your God. I am Lord." Respect for our elders is put very close to reverence for God! The following verse goes on to speak of respect and love for those who are strangers or aliens among us. Peter instructs us to "show proper respect for everyone" (1 Peter 2: 17).
Then there is the interesting incident between Jonathan and David in 1 Samuel 20. David's life is under threat from Jonathan's father king Saul, and at one point Jonathan insists his good friend show him "unfailing kindness like that of the Lord" (vs 14). Respect and love, kindness and good behaviour are presented as that which flows from the example and blessing of the Lord God.
Is it possible then, that common good behaviour in our society is on the decline, because there is less and less love and dedication to God? Do a good computer search of the Bible, or use a concordance and look up words like kindness, respect and honour, and take special note of how often these are connected with God, and as reflections of the character and nature of God. It would seem to me that those who know God savingly in Christ Jesus and who have therefore been blessed beyond all that is humanly conceivable, to receive life with God, and to have God with us forever, in dwelt in fact by His Spirit and are therefore committed to the praise and glory of His name, will seek to become more like Him in order to return thanksgiving and honour to Him. If kindness, respect and good manners and good behaviour are marks of the nature of God - and who can possibly argue they are not? - then these must most certainly be predominant characteristics among His people, and the more of His people there are, the more this influence will be upon society (Matthew 5:13).
It's simple mathematics. Those who do not wish to have anything to do with God must follow the way of the prince of darkness. Those who seek to serve God follow the way of the King of righteousness. One leads to increasing lawlessness, the other seeks to grow in holiness.
It may not be the best incentive to become more involved in sharing the gospel, but if we are to see a greater degree of care, respect and kindness among the people of our cities, and of our nation for the disadvantaged peoples of the world, there must first be a revival of love and desire for the Lord.