There was a
time when the emphasis on instruction was a focus on teaching the three
R’s: Reading
RESPECT –
RESPONSIBILITY – REVERENCE
Do these three
exist in our world today? What are they
and why are they of any importance?
RESPECT
What is
Respect?
Society
puts high importance on Academia, so let’s see what their definition of the
word is. Two well established
dictionaries define the word as follows.
From
Merriam-Webster dictionary:
“An act of giving particular attention: CONSIDERATION”
“To consider worthy of high regard: ESTEEM”
From Oxford
“A feeling of deep admiration for someone or something
elicited by their abilities, qualities, or
achievements.”
“Due regard for the feelings, wishes, rights, or traditions
of others”
Those
definitions are great stand alone statements which do not appear to bring up
any issues in themselves. With that
reasoning, then there should be no issue with the single word that those
statements define. Somewhere along with
the passage of time, the definition has come to be broaden to include some
other words: desires, wishes, sin and immorality.
Just
because respect can be defined as “regards for the feelings, wishes, rights, or
traditions of others”. Does that mean that all morality and sense of
correctness is tossed aside? Items that are detrimental to the life, safety and
well-being do not need to be allowed in order to provide respect. Decline in morality today stems from the huge
importance placed decades ago on defending “the feelings, wishes, rights, or
traditions of others”. Tolerance and
Deference have both been misrepresented in attempts to provide respect.
Tolerance
Respect is
often tied to the word tolerance.
Society screams for tolerance for opposing view points and ideas. In order to provide for tolerance, society
has made an allowance for blatant sinful living. When tolerance allows items
that affect others in a manner that is unnatural to the laws of God; it has
become a shield for making sin permissible when needed in order to respect the
“…feelings, wishes, rights, or traditions of others.”
On the subject
of respect; tolerance does not dictate an allowance for disrespect being shown
to people or things that should automatically receive that respect. There are many examples of this, but let’s
deal with a simple example that is far too common today. That is respect or the lack of it being shown
to the flag of a country.
By
definition a flag is a representation or symbol for a country. Regardless of personal beliefs or political
opinions; as a citizen of a country RESPECT is owed to the flag. It is a symbol to represent the country. Lives are lost fighting to defend it. There is also a REVERANCE when offering
RESPECT to the flag. The “awe” of what
has taken place to enable its citizens to stand there in FREEDOM to view that
flag. The prices paid in life and
liberty does not give an allowance for disrespect.
In many
cultures that disrespect could lead to the loss of liberty and even life.
Disrespect for a flag gives the appearance (intended or not) of disrespect for
what that flag represents and the millions who have died to defend it. To not salute is an act of childish rebellion
and is no different than a child telling a parent they refuse to do something.
This is but
a small example to illustrate how tolerance has destroyed respect. With more respect being shown there becomes
less dependence upon tolerance.
Deference - Respect for others
Deference
is a huge portion of Respect. Deferring
to others in an attitude of humbleness that places the other person FIRST IN
EVERYTHING regardless of how it may inconvenience you or interfere with what
you are doing at that very specific moment. It is the act of placing that individual in
highest esteem regardless. Esteem others
higher than yourself. If there is a
question, the other person always comes first in every action or reaction
during the course of the day.
This can be
seen in the simple illustration of the act of opening a door for someone. Regardless of the individual’s sex, age or
gender there is a statement being made.
The other person SHOULD be BEFORE me.
I will step to the side in humility and let them proceed uninterrupted
in their busy day. Allowing someone to
go ahead of you in a waiting line creates the same effect. By doing this, the other individual is being
elevated to show how important they are.
Not doing so shows an indication of how little others are esteemed and in
how high regard we hold our self above the other person.
There are examples
every day. Watch vehicle drivers cutting
one another off in traffic instead of practicing patience and waiting. Pedestrians walking into the path of vehicle
traffic without concern because they are busy on an electronic device. The attitude being displayed is “traffic will
stop for me, if not I’ll sue them”.
Where does the attitude originate?
It comes from a lack of respect for another individual. Placing more importance upon ones self without
any amount of humility.
It is
seldom, but we do see respect in some areas of society. There is the quiet or hush that happens
moments before an “important person” steps to a microphone. Respect is often displayed from a crowd at a
sacred monument or service. However, it has all but disappeared in other areas
of life. Where has it gone? It belongs in all areas of daily life. All interactions of the day that involve
another human being demands and dictates RESPECT being shown to others.
What does God think of Respect?
Genesis
4:4-5 - God showed “respect” for Abel’s offering but not for Cain’s
Why did God
have respect for Abel’s and not Cain’s?
Abel did what was due to the “God of Creation” and out of respect he
gave his best in offering. Cain instead
offered second rate gifts as something he had to do. He was wrong!
He would ultimately pay for that decision to disrespect the offering due
to the Almighty!
Today, we
do the same thing as Cain. We do not offer
our best. We give second rate effort in
everything. We do not have any respect
for the fact that God or any other individual deserves it simply because of who
they are. Then our attitude even turns to one that expects to be protected from
any results of our laziness and doing wrong.
We then; like Cain, will take our vengeance out on those that did what
was correct or proper.
Romans
12:10 (NIV) “Be devoted to one another
in love. Honor one another above yourselves.”
(KJV) - “….in honor preferring one another.”
Philippians
2:3 “…in lowliness of mind let each
esteem other better than themselves.”
According
to God, others are MORE IMPORTANT than ourselves! So why do anything to promote self or personal
agenda? That would be the most foolish,
self-centered, hypocritical, sinful thing to accomplish while living on this planet.
1 Peter
2:13-17 says:
“Submit
yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake: whether it be to the
king, as supreme, or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the
punishment of evildoers, and for the praise of them that do well. For so is the
will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of
foolish men. As free, and not using your
liberty for a cloke of maliciousness, but as the servants of God. Honour all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the king.”
(continued on Part 2) (all verses King James unless noted)
