“Submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.” (Ephesians 5:21, ESV)
R-E-S-P-E-C-T. All Aretha Franklin asked for was a little respect. And it is something God tells us to offer to one another. Ephesians 5 says to respect one another out of reverence for Christ. You cannot have a successful marriage or any other relationship without a healthy dose of respect. Respect is what makes relationships tick.
What does it mean to respect? To me it means to treat someone with honor. It is to hold others in admiration. It means to treat them, at minimum, as an equal. If you have employees who work under you, value them for their service and the contribution they are making to your business. You could not do what you do without them. Value them as more than labor, but as human beings.
Maybe you have read some online forums that turn ugly. Instead of trading opinions, the forum becomes about trading insults. It is no longer about debating ideas but debating character. It is a microcosm of what is happening in our country. It’s ok to disagree. It is another matter to disrespect someone as a person.
A few years ago, I was pulled over for speeding. I don’t think I was actually speeding. I was angry. I was upset. I must say I was not as respectful as I might have been to the officer. I drove away from that encounter with a ticket in hand. A few years later, I slowed down at a stop sign. I saw another car was coming, and was a bit impatient. I knew that if I stopped, I would have to wait for the car to go by. I just rolled up to the stop sign and then punched it. However, the car that was approaching was a police car. I was caught. But this time my interaction with the officer was very different. I offered the respect and courtesy. This time I walked away with a warning.
I don’t know if my interactions with the officers made the difference in getting a ticket versus getting a warning. I would like to think that they did. I cannot guarantee that offering respect to a police officer will get you away with just a warning. But there is a saying: you catch more flies with honey than vinegar.
In general, people are more inclined to help you and will go out of their way when you treat them with respect. It will not happen all the time. But it will happen more often than not.
When we don’t get our way, our inclination is to complain louder. But complaining louder rarely gets us anywhere. We can express our displeasure and let people know we are disappointed. But do it with courtesy and respect.
Reflection
- What does respect mean to you?
- Is there anyone in your life you have not been giving the respect that Christ has called you to give respect?
- How has offering respect gotten you farther than offering disrespect?
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