Practice Christian Etiquette

“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.” Philippians 2:3-4 NIV

In a timely article titled “All Your Running Etiquette Questions — Answered” published yesterday, the writer said “In a perfect world, an official guide to running etiquette would exist, which every runner would read and live by. No such document exists, but we came up with the next best thing, surveying runners to put together some general guidelines. Whether you're a beginner or a seasoned pro who's curious about others' takes, here's a basic guide to running etiquette.” The writer then went on to list basic common courtesy rules when running outdoors, with a group, when racing, when running with pets and when taking selfies. And speaking on the latter one saying, “When taking photos to capture a moment in a race, always be mindful of not blocking others or intruding on their personal space. That one should be an etiquette rule for daily life, not just on the course.”

And you know, when it comes to following one etiquette, or behavioral, rule for daily life that would set us apart as believers, Paul said that we should “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit.” But rather, in humility to value others above ourselves, not looking to our own interests but to the interests of others. Can you imagine if we all did this? By considering the needs of others above our own, we would automatically act in ways that would show good Christian etiquette. We would naturally hold open the door for someone. We would speak kindly at all times. And we would abstain from taking the last cookie and leave it for someone else, among other things. See where I’m going with this? These might seem like small things to us, but would have quite the effect on our world. 

So look for opportunities to be kind or to help someone today my friend. Small gestures might seem insignificant but when added up can have a huge impact. 

Heavenly Father, thank You for reminding us that our behaviors, both big and small, can impact our world either negatively or positively. Knowing that, help us to display Christlike etiquette at all times. It’s in your precious name we pray Jesus. Amen. 

Happy Running!