Try A Little Tenderness

It's an old blues song that's been covered by many artists over the years, but we stumbled across the meaning of it during our men's study group.  Yes, we're still working on Chapter 12 of Wes Yoder's "Bond of Brothers."  A matter of fact, we didn't go much further than where we left off last week.  The issue went from forgiveness to 'Tact.'

We Americans love our freedom of speech.  We love our right to express ourselves, no matter who it might hurt or what it might do.  I still remember a test question from my high school Journalism class, "You have just found out that a Senator is involved in an extra-marital affair.  The Senator's wife is in the hospital with a serious heart condition, do you run the story?"   I circled "NO".   It was the wrong answer.  Needless to say, journalism didn't become my favorite course, something I am thankful for.

My mother used to say, just because you think it, doesn't mean you have to say it.  Tact goes a long way toward helping us get along with one another.  I actually like what one of the brothers said as we were finishing our prayer time.  He simply said;  Tact is the book of Proverbs.  Tact is wisdom.  It is the art of holding your tongue when it would be easier to blurt out your stinking, I mean thinking.  Tact goes a long way in every relationship.  There are things my wife doesn't need to know that I'm thinking, and there are things she's thinking that I don't want to know.

Boorish people, (those who disregard any effort at tact,) are overcome with pride.  Tactless people are prideful, arrogant, and without regard for the feelings of others.  It's their God given right to be that way.  Why else would He create this great nation?  Someone has to tell the truth.  Shouldn't the jerks in this world know that they are . . . jerks?

We as Christians need to know the difference between holding up the Cross of Jesus, and being offensive.  The Lord never said we would be persecuted for our words, but for our righteousness.  It isn't by our words that people know we are Christians, but by our love.  Righteousness isn't words, it is love.  The morality we so desire to live by is often cast aside when we are trying to make our own moral standing appear to be greater than those around us.

With one another, Christians should always be on their guard, listening to the Holy Spirit more than spitting out whatever pops into their head.  Tact goes a long way to reducing the need for forgiveness.  The biblical call to admonish one another has one caveat, to do it in love.  Familiarity never negates the need for respect. It is one thing to be able to crawl up into the Creator's lap and call Him, "Daddy,"  and another to recognize His awesome greatness.  There is a scene from the movie "The King and I,"  where the little daughter of the King runs into the throne room and forgets to bow.  The awkwardness of the moment is beyond our American way of thinking.  We don't understand royalty.  Yet, there is a decorum reserved for the noble, that should be a decorum reserved for all of us.  Familiarity doesn't mean you can blurt out your criticisms at any moment.  Admonition should be done with respect, and tenderness.

Which fruit of the Spirit best describes Tact?  All of them.  Ask yourself, if you would want to be told what you are about to say.  Where, how, and when we say things is being tactful.   We need to try a little tenderness.