Do you use your gentlest voice at home? Your best manners with your family too or only with strangers?

Question

Why are we usually much more polite, kind, and forgiving of strangers than we are our own families? Shouldn't we include them in what we do for Christ as well? Are they not 'angels in disguise' too?

Peace Be With You,
Debra

This is an area where I find I need the most work and I am working on it.

Actually It came from "My Prayer Book" titled "Father Faber on Kindness." written almost 100 years ago!

Answer 1

I learned years ago it starts at home and works outward, not the other way around.

Blessings )O(

Answer 2

I agree with you, I think that everyone should be treated politely but i think that the reason we disclude our families is because they are the only ones we feel most comfortable around and we know that no matter what they will forgive us. (sometimes we have to let out some steam.) Strangers on the other hand go by first impressions and i don't want to come off as rude.

Answer 3

Since I am raising a 3-year old, I try to be on my "best behavior" at all times, but it isn't the easiest thing in the world to do (you have children, you know:-) )

Not only that, but I would want to be treated kindly by all that I come across and the best way to make that happen is to treat everyone the way you want to be treated.

Sometimes, though, it does seem easier to be kind to strangers than it is to be kind to family.

Answer 4

Praise God to that isnt that just so true most people treat there loved ones worse that a stranger not very Christ like Sadly enough it is happening all the time i think people lose focus of who they are in Christ behind closed doors and little do we all need to realize in church or behind closed doors Our heavenly Father sees it all Great ? God Bless You

Answer 5

When we are out in society we wear a mask. Most of us are play acting.We want to show what we are not. Thank God for it.At least we are honest and throw away our masks at home. We have at home some one we deeply love and respect. In away we take those at home for granted and come out in our actual colors. It is nothing unusual and there is no need to feel guilty about it since we make instant amends when we overstep our limits.

Answer 6

I went to a Baptist school in the past. Our pastor told us that the "rule of thumb" derived from an unwritten law, namely, the diameter of the stick that the husband was allowed to use on his wife, which was not allowed to be greater than the diameter of his thumb.
Lets extend this rule to how we treat society.

Amen :-P

Answer 7

I struggle with this all the time! The human tendency is to "let our hair down" with our own families and be nice and sweet to people outside of our families--however, it can do horrific harm to our tender family relationships. So I continue the struggle...

Answer 8

this is definaly something we all need to work on, we are all still flesh and blood. I is with the one we love we seam to over look first. When is is them we shoud treat the best.

please, keep sharing the questions.

Answer 9

Actually yes I do, I treat my husband better than I treat anyone else in the world because I love him more than anyone else in the world.

And Ihave to say it is easy to do because I honestly feel like he does the same to me!

Answer 10

i think it has to do with peoples patience levels. the more your around someone the less patience you tend to have with them (why siblings bicker so much? why best friends will get in fights as well?) you see too much of a person you start to look at their points that irritate you...