Truthful Tuesday: R-E-S-P-E-C-T - Denise Pass
Inspirational Thought of the Day:
When we understand that we are all on equal footing, respect is a natural default for how we treat others.
Scripture of the Day:
Isaiah 66:2
“My hand made them; that is how they came to be,” says the LORD. “I show special favor to the humble and contrite, who respect what I have to say.”
1 Peter 2:17
“Honor all people, love the family of believers, fear God, honor the king.”
Respect is almost a dirty word today. No one wants to be humbled, yet it is the truly humble that God elevates. When we recognize that anything good in us is truly God alone, we cannot view anyone else as less than ourselves.
Treating one another respectfully is a beautiful response of love to those we value. It is saying, “you are valuable and worthy”. We each have worth before God because He chose each one of us and died for us.
Respect does not demand or expect that others treat us a certain way; instead it views others through God’s lens, each one precious and unique.
The loving system of authority God set in place was not just so youths had to respect their elders, but so their could be loving guidance, trust and care in a special relationship. Marriage is not just about a wife respecting her husband, and employment is not just about an employee just respecting their boss. In all these examples, both mutually respect one another. In this way, God is glorified and each person is encouraged and built up in Christ.
Paul said it beautifully in 1 Corinthians 12:23-24, “and those members we consider less honorable we clothe with greater honor, and our unpresentable members are clothed with dignity, 24 but our presentable members do not need this. Instead, God has blended together the body, giving greater honor to the lesser member.”
When we consider how we have been treated unfairly by others, remembering that Christ loved people who hated Him. The Ruler of all the earth, He chose to stoop and wash our feet though He was King of Kings and we should have bowed down before Him.
Lord, thank you for modeling perfect humility. Help us to remember the undeserved grace You have so abundantly given us so we can extend Your grace to others.
