Axioms…from my perspective

i’ve decided to dedicate thursdays to giving some of my personal life axioms…truth that, from my perspective, is self-evident.  sometimes practical.  sometimes philosophical.  sometimes whimsical.  but truth, no less.

“treat people well…whether they deserve it or not.”

we interact with people everyday. it takes just as much effort to be aloof, self-centered, rude, mean, or disinterested as it does to be a gracious, friendly, nice person. to be honest, grace is always better.

that whole golden rule thing comes into play here.  somehow, it is so easy to convince ourselves that we are better than others…as if we are never aloof, self-absorbed, crabby, cynical, short, smug, angry, unkind, impatient…need i go on?  on those days when we don’t have our “a” game together, we want…no, need, grace.  why wouldn’t that be true of others?

an old italian proverb says, “he that will have none but a perfect brother must resign himself to remain brotherless.” man, that is so true!  the list of those that are perfect is a short one.  why do we have such a difficult time remembering that?

a.w. tozer once said, “to treat an imperfect brother impatiently is to advertise our own imperfections.” i’m no ad man, but i am in the “pr” business…and there is no way i want my shortcomings broadcasted on a billboard in my world.  i know i’m imperfect.  so does everyone else.  but that’s no excuse for grabbing a megaphone and screaming, “look, i’m an idiot!!”

better to extend grace, love freely, and treat others the way i want to be treated…not the way i deserve.

#friendship #grace #love