My friend Dan once visited a business owner named Mr. Brown at his company headquarters. Dan enjoyed the visit: Mr. Brown was an excellent host, the picture of courtesy.
One day on a drop-in visit, however, Dan saw Mr. Brown’s other side. When the business owner asked for a certain report, his employee had computer problems and could not produce the papers. Before Dan’s eyes, Mr. Brown transformed from Dr. Jekyll into Mr. Hyde. He cursed, shouted, and humiliated his worker. Dan and everyone else in the office felt sick.
This is Howard Butt Jr. of Laity Lodge. Civility is not something to save for special people or special occasions. Where you find character, you find consistency … in the high calling of our daily work.
“Similarly, encourage the young men to be self-controlled. In everything set them an example by doing what is good. In your teaching show integrity, seriousness and soundness of speech that cannot be condemned, so that those who oppose you may be ashamed because they have nothing bad to say about us.”— Titus 2:6-8
