Reaquainting us with manners...

I recently read an article in The Toronto Star that caught my attention. On Saturday July 30, 2011 the headline stated, "They're actually just being nice. Seriously. New ad campaign encourages goodness everywhere." Then I saw their ads begin to appear on tv. Peopleforgood.ca is "an advertising campaign sweeping through Canada's largest cities, encouraging people to be good, do good and encourage goodness everywhere." It is a brilliant idea. Some of the print ads you will see around the cities on billboards are,

" Don't carry grudges. They weigh a ton."

"Give your fellow driver five fingers. Wave."

"Want to hear an uplifting story? A guy lets everyone get on the train before him. The end. The postscript: And then someone gives him a seat. And smiles."

The tv ads are even cooler! According to The Toronto Star and People For Good, there is no catch. They are "not out to sell you anything," its creators say. "The idea behind the 'social movement,' which lacks any recognizable branding, is to get people to donate a little generosity. What we're trying to do is encourage a change in behaviour, " says Mark Sherman and Zak Mroueh, the brains behind People For Good!

I love this ad campaign, yet got to thinking. Doesn't it tell us a great deal about the state of our society presently? How sad an ad campaign has to teach us about good old fashioned manners and how to treat people. Shouldn't that come from the home and from those of us who are Christians, living out the mandate Jesus set before us?

I encourage you to check out this website. It is pretty cool!

Keep reflecting God's love in this crazy world! In our society today love is conditional. It's a "what will you give me" attitude that has even crept into the church community. Do we really know what it means to love? Do I really know what it means to love? Am I extravagant in my love to my church community, to my family, to my friends, to my co-workers? I know I need to be more extravagant and unconditional in my love for others.

Ephesians 5:1ff says,

"Watch what God does and then you do it...Mostly what God does is love you. Keep company with Him and learn a life of love. Observe how Christ loved us. His love was not cautious but extravagant. He didn't love in order to get something from us but to give everything of himself to us. Love like that!" (The Message)

I want to be person for good.ca!