Deficiencies of Body (5)
Passage
[Philippians 4: 8-9]
"Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things. The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you."
This is the fifth session of the 'Deficiencies of the Body' series.
I have been delivering the messages about the deficiencies of the body in order for those who long to go into spirit and whole spirit to become perfect by realizing what they are lacking and filling it up.
I explained that one may develop deficiencies of the body when they are lacking in knowledge, experiences, or actual deeds of doing things.
They might develop deficiencies in acceptable social manners, ability to empathize with others, discernment between good and evil, and willpower and self-control to practice the truth.
In the last session I gave you examples of the deficiencies that can be easily found in our everyday lives.
We can find many deficiencies in various aspects such as deficiencies in emotions and thinking, ways of conversing with others, and in their attitudes and behaviors.
Continuing from the last session, let me talk about the specific examples of deficiencies of the body.
It is not right attitude for a bride of the Lord to do the following things: not having upright sitting or walking posture; making a lot of noise when walking or dragging your shoes; noisily closing drawers and doors or kicking them to close them.
You should also change such habits as: breaking things by handling them carelessly without caution; bumping into something or somebody, or falling down by not behaving calmly; making a loud noise when closing the door and thereby surprising many people or leaving the door open; shaking your legs or biting your fingernails.
You should also observe the proper dress code for each occasion.
1 Timothy 2:9-10 says, "Likewise, I want women to adorn themselves with proper clothing, modestly and discreetly, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly garments, but rather by means of good works, as is proper for women making a claim to godliness."
This is not only for women but for everybody.
It does not mean you have to wear expensive and new clothes.
It means you have to be tidy and discreet in the choice of the clothing you wear.
While it is embarrassing if you have foul odor because you don't wash, it is also not proper social etiquette to put on too much cologne or perfume or apply cosmetics too heavily.
We can find many kinds of deficiencies of body in dining.
If you learn proper dining manners from childhood, proper etiquette won't be hard after you grow up. But if you don't have proper habits, it would be difficult to correct yourself after you grow up.
Letting the food stick around your mouth, spilling food on the table or on your clothes, and scattering uneaten food about on your dishes and being messy causes embarrassment for others, and all these things are not proper manners.
It is not proper etiquette if you talk with food in your mouth and the food is spit out or if you eat too fast or too slow when you dine with many others. Taking the main dish with silverware that you have put to your mouth or that has your food on it; eating only the dishes that you like; and taking your shoes off in a restaurant are not proper manners. When dining with a person senior to you, if you just finish eating and leave without asking to be excused just because you have an urgent matter to attend to is also not showing proper etiquette. All of these things are considered to be deficiencies, as well.
As I mention proper manners and etiquette with seniors, I hope you will check your relationship with God the Father once again as well.
The worship service starts with the Apostle's Creed and ends with benediction or the Lord's Prayer, and all the proceedings are offered up to God.
Since you are sitting among so many people, you might think your behavior or heart is not clearly revealed.
But God is watching each and every one of you even among so many other people, and He accepts the aroma of heart from each individual.
If you sense that God is watching you, how can you come late to the worship service or leave the sanctuary before the Lord's Prayer is over?
Just to save the time to keep from having to wait in the line in the dining hall or to get your car out of the parking lot before it gets crowded after the service, how can you just get up and leave saying, "God, I am sorry..."!
Isn't your reverent fear of God much more important than such things?
I believe that if you know that I am watching you, you would be too embarrassed to do these things.
It is also embarrassing before God if you fall asleep or daydream, chat with somebody next to you, or eat something in worship services.
I hope you will fear God and consider worship service more precious than a meeting with any important or noble man!