Love in Trifles

All communities experience friction, and wise communities develop manners and customs designed to minimize that friction. It has been well said that manners should be defined as “love in trifles.” But there is a trap to be avoided at the very beginning. When someone blunders in the manners department, through ignorance or thoughtlessness, those who …

Wrong Broom, Wrong Carpet

When people come together in community, we soon discover that forbearance is most necessary. “Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye” (Col. 3:13). This comes out in many areas—in preparing for weddings, in doing business together, in dealing …