As we drove from Oregon to Alaska with its various stops, and here in Soldtna, as I went to various places to get stuff to fix the boat, we ran into cheerful people who treated us with respect and graciousness, and we dealt with grumpy people. The tow truck driver who picked up our boat when the tongue broke was one of the grumpiest people I have experienced. The people at the border crossings treated us as a major infringement on their lives.

People who are grumpy, if called on it, always have a justification that has to do with their circumstances. Being nice to people is a choice we make in spite of how bad our circumstances may be. We don’t have to treat people poorly because we are feeling poorly. Treating people with respect, honoring them, and giving them grace by the way we talk are the foundation of Christian behavior. The main command Jesus gives us is to love people as much as Jesus has loved us.

Grumpiness is selfish, childish., and very displeasing to God. Being nice is a choice we can make at any time because it is the right way to live.