Daily Devotion

by retired Pastor, Pete Rudowski

GOOD MANNERS ARE A LUBRICANT FOR RELATIONSHIPS

Peter Drucker, the dean of organizational thinking in the 20th century, said, “Good manners are the lubricant of a healthy organization.”  I have added to Drucker’s insight, Good manners are the lubricant to healthy relationships including our relationship with God.

Good manners include lots of thank yous.  I have observed over the years parents teaching young children to say thank you when they are given something.  I also observed these same parents do not say thank you when their partner gives them something.  Do adults simply forget or are so busy that thank yous no longer apply to their relationships?

I believe remembering to say thank you when you are given something (or when someone does something for you) shows appreciation and gratitude.  And, a thank you is a reminder someone cares about you.  Thank yous build and lubricate healthy relationships in many different ways.

Easter, the festival of celebrating Jesus’ resurrection, is the most important celebration of the Christian calendar.  It is so important the celebration lasts seven weeks.  For seven weeks, Easter invites us to offer a joyful thank you to God for restoring a strained relationship in the forgiveness of sin.  Easter invites us to offer a joyful thank you to God for inviting us to be part of Jesus’ family, i.e., to be his brothers and sisters.  Easter invites us to offer a joyful thank you to God for trusting and empowering us with the Spirit of the resurrected Jesus to continue his ministry on earth of teaching, preaching, and healing.  Easter invites us to offer a joyful thank you to God for walking with us in our joys as well as our suffering, struggles, and doubts.  Finally, thank you to God for the resurrection of Jesus brings to the very front of our mind how much God cares for and loves us.