Have You Learned Your Manners?

Have You Learned Your Manners?

Acts 13:17-20a The God of the people of Israel chose our fathers; he made the people prosper during their stay in Egypt, with mighty power he led them out of that country, he endured their conduct for about forty years in the desert, he overthrew seven nations in Canaan and gave their land to his people as their inheritance. All this took about 450 years. Thoughts for Today: Upon arriving in Antioch Pisidia, Paul and Barnabas went to the local synagogue on the Sabbath. Seeing that Paul and Barnabas were well traveled and educated the leader of the synagogue had invited them to speak (previously in verse 15). In our passage today, Paul has begun his speech by briefly reciting the familiar history of the Hebrew exit from Egypt and conquest of the "promised land". There were two little sentences that grabbed my attention as I read these 4 verses, the first, "He [speaking of God] endured their conduct for about forty years in the desert', and the second, "All this took about 450 years." The King James Version translates the phrase "endured their conduct", as "suffered their manners". Have you ever been around someone who lacked manners? Maybe a house guest or one of your children's playmates? That's what Paul is saying about the people God brought out of Egypt. God "suffered their conduct". When my son Ryan was a toddler he hated restaurants. Every time his mother and I took him to a restaurant he would start screaming and crying and we would have to leave. I remember one year we met our family at a Mexican restaurant to celebrate my father's birthday. We had barely sat down when Ryan started to fuss. I tried to entertain him (he ignored me). I gave him something to eat (he threw it on the floor). The fussing turned to crying, and the crying to screaming. As we got up to leave (before we had ordered our food), my father said to me (as only my father could say), "You need to teach that kid of yours some manners!" Ryan is now 30 years old and has grown into a fine man. He now has children of his own so it is truly "payback" time. Although Ryan may not like me to tell this story, the point I'm making is that try as I might, I could not change Ryan's behavior. It was just something he had to grow out of and I had to suffer until he did so. God endured the conduct of the Israelites for 40 years in the desert. It took them another 450 years before they received their full inheritance (the promised land). Why? Because it took them that long to learn their manners. Questions to Ponder: How long have you been wandering in the desert? Have you conquered the last nation occupying your promised land? In what area are your manners lacking? Is it giving praise and thanks to God? Is it your desire to be served versus serve? Is it the mess you've made of your life, your marriage, your finances, your relationships? Or are you like an unruly child who whines, screams and cries whenever they don't like something? Know that God is committed to our spiritual growth. He accepts you for who you are today, but loves you enough to not let you stay where you are. Write down the areas in which your manners are lacking. Now, ask the questions -- Where is change needed? And, what will it take for that change to occur?