In Grade 3, I learned a poem about good manners:
Hearts, like doors, will open with ease
With very, very little keys.
But don’t forget that two of these
Are thank you, sir, and if you please.
People who are grateful, people who know how to say thanks sincerely, win the hearts of people easily.
There were ten lepers. They were told to do something. They were healed along the way. The nine chose to be dutiful. They were obedient. What’s wrong with that? The Lord told them, “Go and show yourselves to the priests.” They have not yet reached the priests and they got well. So they just said, “But the Lord told us to go and show ourselves to the priests. That is a duty. We are only obeying.” The other leper chose not to merely obey but to be gracious, sweet, and thoughtful.
Don’t get me wrong. I am not saying that we should disobey. I am not saying that we should be lax in our duties. What I am saying is that sometimes, we must recognize the importance of being gracious.
Even if we are doing our duties; it is important to smile when we fulfill a duty, it is important to pause a while sometimes and say “Thank You, Lord.”
Sometimes, we take life too seriously. We fulfill one duty after another. We must not forget though these important keys to open the doors of people’s hearts. We must be dutiful but not forget to be gracious. At the end of the day, it is the smile on your face, and the graciousness of your heart that will win love and respect.
Today, we will have many duties to fulfill. Let us make sure we don’t sacrifice graciousness because we have so much to do.
BE GRACIOUS
Lk. 17:11-19
Love Like Jesus