What Do Others Do When You Open Your Mouth?

Recently at a coffee shop I witnessed something that has become an all too common occurrence in our culture. A customer didn't get the drink they ordered and began to give the poor barista an earful. It's almost as if the customer felt it was their right to. I don't think the outburst produced anything positive with anyone in the coffee shop that day. The customer was angry, fellow customers were agitated and the poor barista was shaken. As I've said before, our culture has declined to point that anyone can say anything to anyone, however they like. Whether in conversation, voicemail, email, texts, etc. I wish people would realize that usually, how something is said is just as important as what is being said. If I screamed at my wife that I love her, although my choice of words may be right, the presentation of them is not. If I'm wanting her to be open and even hear what I'm saying to her, I must not present it in such a harsh way that immediately closes the door. Could the coffee shop customer have done things differently? Absolutely! I love what the Message says in Colossians 4:6, "Be gracious in your speech. The goal is to bring out the best in others in a conversation, not put them down, not cut them out." Unfortunately too many people get a kick out of using harsh, condescending and destructive words and have allowed it to become their norm for communication. Whatever happened to treating others the way we want them to treat us? Whether someone is a spouse, a parent, sibling, employer, employee, etc, don't communicate in such a way that shuts others down or belittles them, but in a way that promotes them to want to be open :) Allow your words today to bring out the best in others.