Respect is a feeling of genuine politeness and kindness we have towards others. To help us remember how to be respectful of others, and exactly what we should do to show respect, we should think about what Jesus says in Matthew, “Do to others whatever you would like them to do to you…” (7:12, NLT) This means to treat people the way that WE would want to be treated.
For example, if we want others to play nicely with our toys, then we should do the same when playing with other people’s toys. If we want others to listen to our ideas, then we should listen to theirs. Let’s follow the Apostle Paul’s words in Romans: (12:10, NLT) “Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other.”
Here’s a handy tip: before we do or say something, we can ask ourselves, “Would this be nice if someone did this or said this to ME?” We especially want to respect people who are older, like our parents and teachers, because they have more experience and knowledge than we do. Part of respecting our parents is being obedient to their good rules and wise advice. Ephesians (6:1, NIV) says, “Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.”
When we have a deep respect for a higher, divine authority, it’s called reverence. We always have reverence for God, Jesus and the Bible. We don’t speak carelessly about them because they are holy. When we are in a church setting, we should be on our best behavior, because we and others want to come to this special place to worship and pray. 1 Peter (2:17, CEV) says, “Respect everyone and show special love for God's people.”
Another part of respect is understanding that others have different opinions, beliefs, and values than we do. It’s important to learn about how others think and not be quick to say that their ways are wrong and ours are right. Activities and class projects can be more interesting when we listen to other opinions – sometimes we discover new ideas or ways of looking at things that we may never have thought of!
It’s healthy to have a feeling of respect towards ourselves, too – this is called “self-respect.” This doesn’t mean we brag about ourselves and our accomplishments, but at the same time, we should not put ourselves down as though we have no value at all. It’s good to be humble yet understand that we all have special abilities that can be used in God’s service. Of course, the credit should always go to God for giving us any talents at all!
So, what is respect? It’s a feeling of genuine politeness and kindness towards others. Our words and actions should be respectful towards other people’s beliefs and opinions, just as we would want them to be towards ours . The highest form of respect is called reverence, and we have this for God, Jesus and the Bible.
This video is from Christian Questions Podcast. For more information please go to https://christianquestions.com
