Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.” Jeremiah 33:3

I really try to be a person of grace, but there are a few pet peeves that get to me. One of them is dealing with folks who fail to return a phone call or e-mail. I would guess that I’m as busy as most people and I do my best to return phone calls and e-mails as quickly as possible. I’m sure I’ve blown it on occasion and failed to get back to someone, but if I am especially busy, I will at least try to respond and let people know I will respond as soon as I have a break.

I’ve also learned that it’s okay to say, “No.” It might be the most considerate response. If I’m asked to do something and I’m not sure, I will let folks know that if they need an immediate answer, the answer is, “No.” If they can give a couple of days or a couple of weeks to consider other dynamics, the answer might be, “Yes.”

Responding is not only polite, it is professional and I believe that it is a reflection of our faith. Kristine and I have tried to raise our kids to recognize the value of others. Growing up, we wanted our kids to recognize that it’s not just about them but other people have feelings too.

Returning a call or responding to written communication is a common courtesy and it is also Biblical. Our Christian faith can be distilled down to two things. We are to love God and love others. That’s it. Consequently, when God calls, we should respond. When others call (or email), we should respond. God has given us a promise, that if we call to him, he will tell us great and incomprehensible things that we don’t know.

We are familiar with the adage, cleanliness is next to Godliness but being responsive to the needs and calls of others also is a reflection of our faith.

Steve