Respect (Part 2)
A second life application: Ask for the grace to initiate reconciliation with those you have a grievance with, feel resentment toward or are bitter against. This is a hard thing, but it is commanded of us.
The Holy Spirit can help us develop respect when we are willing to invite people who have a grievance against us to come and seek resolution of the issue. Solomon wrote, "Do not rebuke a mocker or he will hate you; Rebuke a wise man and he will love you." (Proverbs 9:8) Ask the Lord to help you to remain humble enough to accept rebukes and become wiser.
The Holy Spirit can help us build respect when we are willing to consider that the opinions of others are valuable and worthy of applications, or at least serious consideration. Paul wrote, "Do nothing from factional motives (through contentiousness, strife, selfishness or for unworthy ends) or prompted by conceit and empty arrogance. Instead, in the true spirit of humility (lowliness of mind) let each regard the others as better than and superior to himself (thinking more highly of someone else than you do ourselves). (Phil. 2:3) We should continually ask for the gifts of humility, wisdom, knowledge and teachability to value one another’s opinions, ideas and feelings.
The Holy Spirit can help us build respect when we make it known that we have no intention of manipulating other people for our own good end. We are to be servants to each other. And, servants serve! We must resist any temptation to use people, coerce people or try to manipulate people for your own selfish interests.
The Holy Spirit can help us build respect when you make it known that we will not be manipulated. We must learn to have the courage to stand up to people who abuse their power and create chaos by manipulating the rest of us. Paul refused to be manipulated by the Galatians, the Pharisees and the powerful men of his day with Christ’s courage.
The Holy Spirit can help us build respect by excelling and surpassing lowered expectations in our relationships and ministries. Peter, James and John were respected because of their excellent rapport with others and their effective ministry skills. Luke wrote, "Now as they observed the confidence of Peter and John and understood that they were uneducated and untrained men, they marveled because they had been with Jesus." (Acts 4:13) Ask God for help to shine in your relationships and ministries with the power of the Spirit.
The Holy Spirit can help us build respect by the revelation and manifestation of the fruits of our ministries and our relationships. Jesus said, "You will know a man by his fruit." (Matt. 12:33) We should ask the Lord to help us manifest a lot of ministry and relational fruit so that people will respect us for what the Lord has done in, through and for us.
We build up respect when we show respect to others. Jesus said, "Do to others as you would have them do to you." (Luke 6:31) Ask God to help you to show respect to others in obedience to the Lord.
We earn and learn respect when other speaks to us in confidence, and we keep it those conversations confidential.
We must learn to speak the truth in love. Our goal must be to assure people that we care for them and encourage them to voice their concerns objectively. This is also difficult. But we must ask God for help in giving others an honest answer without misrepresenting the truth or breaking any confidence with people.
The Holy Spirit can help us build respect as we pray for one another and communicate with them about shared goals for Christ’s purposes. We must ask the Holy Spirit for help in respecting each others’ efforts to help build Christ’s kingdom and righteousness in a variety of ways and with many perspectives.
We must share our talents and come to common understanding to move forward in building up God's Kingdom. After all, it is for Him, and not ourselves that we work...
3 comments:
RESPECT - Is it like a light switch, can it be turned on and than off? I know truly that it isn't a light switch. Ok, so is there degrees of respect? This I am not sure about. In my lifetime I have come across people some close, some not that I respect to a certain degree. Meaning, for certain things they do & have accomplished, but then I have no respect for certain things they do or have not accomplished. Am I being judgemental?
I do not think that is judgmental. We are to test everything. Simply because we do not agree with someone, does not mean that we have to be disrespectful toward them.
The simplest example I can think of are my children. I do not always agree with their choices, but I do not treat them disrespectfully. I love and care for them, but do not love what they are doing.
There are people in church who have hurt my feelings, but I am still obliged to show them some semblance of human civility.
The fact that I am respectful does not mean I have to be tricked by them over and over, buy into whatever they are selling, or spend a lot of quality time with them. I do not think we do anyone service by putting ourselves in harm’s way continually.
RESPECT - Is it like a light switch, can it be turned on and than off? I know truly that it isn't a light switch. Ok, so is there degrees of respect? This I am not sure about. In my lifetime I have come across people some close, some not that I respect to a certain degree. Meaning, for certain things they do & have accomplished, but then I have no respect for certain things they do or have not accomplished. Am I being judgemental?
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