{"id":1818,"date":"2022-07-21T09:47:28","date_gmt":"2022-07-21T13:47:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/js1cd06kre.onrocket.site\/?p=1818"},"modified":"2022-07-21T09:47:28","modified_gmt":"2022-07-21T13:47:28","slug":"be-polite","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/glennsreflections.com\/index.php\/2022\/07\/21\/be-polite\/","title":{"rendered":"Be Polite"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Don\u2019t be an idiot.\u00a0 Be polite.
\u00a0
If those two sentences don\u2019t appear to be natural go-togethers, it\u2019s because we\u2019ve lost track of the origin of a pair of words that were once intimately related.
\u00a0
Let\u2019s start with the Greek word idiotes<\/em> (id-ee-OH-tays).\u00a0 In ancient times an idiotes <\/em>was someone who chose not to participate in civic life.\u00a0
\u00a0
Such a person often lived and worked apart from others.\u00a0 These individuals had little interest in the common good and consequently made few sacrifices to benefit their communities.\u00a0 They were scorned as selfish.
\u00a0
Over time the word idiotes <\/em>came to represent anyone of inferior character, and by the Middle Ages an \u201cidiot\u201d was someone who displayed inferior thinking. \u00a0
\u00a0
Mark Twain once said, \u201cSuppose you were an idiot.\u00a0 And suppose you were a member of Congress.\u00a0 But I repeat myself.\u201d\u00a0
\u00a0
Twain\u2019s razor-edged humor was more than just one cynic\u2019s frustration.\u00a0 A man or woman in a position of leadership, but who remains absorbed in personal interests at the expense of the common good, is, according to the ancient Greeks, a bona fide idiot.
\u00a0
Which brings us to politeness.
\u00a0
A \u201cpolite\u201d person, according to the Greeks, was someone who looked out for the interests of the city, or polis.\u00a0<\/em>
\u00a0
Polis <\/em>is a treasure trove for English-speakers.\u00a0 We have \u201cpolice\u201d who watch over the city, \u201cpolicies\u201d that provide for the health of our communities, and \u201cpoliticians\u201d who serve as city leaders. \u00a0A cultured person is said to be \u201cpolished.\u201d
\u00a0
The roots of politeness go back to its original meaning.\u00a0 A polite person cares how things are going with the wider community.\u00a0 Social gestures and rituals of etiquette have evolved as ways to put other people at ease, and to create an atmosphere in which trust can flourish.

We’re not talking about feats of heroism here – just humble expressions of kindness that become a way of life.\u00a0 That’s how holiness grows, too.\u00a0 Holiness (which means imitating the character of God) is within reach of everyone.\u00a0 It grows within a community of persons whenever its members commit themselves to small positive acts.\u00a0 “And whatever you do, in word or deed, do it all in the name of Jesus…” (Colossians 3:17).\u00a0 That is, live in such a way as if Jesus were in your place today.\u00a0\u00a0
\u00a0
That\u2019s the beauty and power of politeness.
\u00a0
So hold the door for someone.\u00a0 Say hello.\u00a0 Smile.\u00a0 Say please and thank-you.\u00a0 Offer to help.\u00a0 Pay a compliment.\u00a0 Listen well.\u00a0 Pray for the person serving you at the bank, in the store, and waiting next to you at the red light.
\u00a0
And as a member of the polis, <\/em>work for the common good.\u00a0 Pay attention.\u00a0 Speak up.\u00a0 Choose to vote.\u00a0 Patronize businesses in a less affluent part of town.\u00a0 Pursue justice.\u00a0 Be brave.\u00a0\u00a0
\u00a0
Small acts can lead to very big things.
\u00a0
Otherwise we may all end up looking like idiots.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Don\u2019t be an idiot.\u00a0 Be polite.\u00a0If those two sentences don\u2019t appear to be natural go-togethers, it\u2019s because we\u2019ve lost track of the origin of a pair of words that were once intimately related.\u00a0Let\u2019s start with the Greek word idiotes (id-ee-OH-tays).\u00a0 In ancient times an idiotes was someone who chose not to participate in civic life.\u00a0\u00a0Such a person often lived and… Read more »<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":1819,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[291],"class_list":["post-1818","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-common-good"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/glennsreflections.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1818","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/glennsreflections.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/glennsreflections.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/glennsreflections.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/glennsreflections.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1818"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/glennsreflections.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1818\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1820,"href":"https:\/\/glennsreflections.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1818\/revisions\/1820"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/glennsreflections.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1819"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/glennsreflections.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1818"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/glennsreflections.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1818"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/glennsreflections.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1818"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}