Respect Others

Scripture Passage: Romans 12: 10, ¹⁰ Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves.

Respect others. Today its one of the biggest difficulties before us. In the last phase of the twentieth century and the first phase of the twenty first century it can be seen evidently that children feel they are lowering their position by being respectful to parents. The first lesson of respect should be taught and learnt from our homes. Wives that respect their husbands, similarly, husbands that respect their wives’ personality and love and respect them. Young children learn to respect and love aged people only when they see their parents treating grandparents with love and respect. Those who criticize their own brothers and sisters before their children forget that they cannot reprimand their child for doing the same. After all parents are the role models for children.

Relations are now business. When they are of no use/ gain, parents and relatives are thrown out. They are no longer loved, cared or respected. Grandparents who are treated as burden in families leave children with no moral values. Parents without discipline in life are not respected by their own children.

John 1:12, ¹² Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—

1 John 3: 1, 3 See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him.

Genesis 1: 27, ²⁷ So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. We are created like God in His form as God’s children. And yet we do not cultivate godly blessings like love, care, respect and acceptance. Not just in person but even on the phone we have forgotten to respect people or follow code of conduct. At times after receiving a call we engage in talk with people in front of us, we don’t ask the person on the phone to excuse us, or answer the phone properly. Aren’t all these actions disrespectful and insulting??

The world has progressed in all dimensions but we humans have only deteriorated. we talk in harsh voices with our brothers and sisters and hurt them. 1 John 3: 10-12, ¹⁰ This is how we know who the children of God are and who the children of the devil are: Anyone who does not do what is right is not God’s child, nor is anyone who does not love their brother and sister. ¹¹ For this is the message you heard from the beginning: We should love one another. ¹² Do not be like Cain, who belonged to the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his own actions were evil and his brother’s were righteous.

Love and respect are like the two sides of a coin. The one who loves would also respect. We all know about the brother who neither loved nor respected his elder brother. Instead of giving soup to his elder brother who is hungry, he barters it for the rights as the first born i.e. Jacob. Jacob stoops down in the greed for wealth and property. The most sad part is that the mother is his accomplice in cheating her elder son, Esau. Jacob deceives his father Isaac and receives all the blessing as first born which were rightfully Esau’s. Even today we have have mothers like Rebecca.

Just see God’s judgement: Jacob flees his own land to save his life. He loves Laban’s younger daughter, Rachel, but marries the elder daughter, Leah (Genesis 29: 23-30, ²³ But when evening came, he took his daughter Leah and brought her to Jacob, and Jacob made love to her. ²⁴ And Laban gave his servant Zilpah to his daughter as her attendant. ²⁵ When morning came, there was Leah! So Jacob said to Laban, “What is this you have done to me? I served you for Rachel, didn’t I? Why have you deceived me?” ²⁶ Laban replied, “It is not our custom here to give the younger daughter in marriage before the older one. ²⁷ Finish this daughter’s bridal week; then we will give you the younger one also, in return for another seven years of work.” ²⁸ And Jacob did so. He finished the week with Leah, and then Laban gave him his daughter Rachel to be his wife. ²⁹ Laban gave his servant Bilhah to his daughter Rachel as her attendant. ³⁰ Jacob made love to Rachel also, and his love for Rachel was greater than his love for Leah. And he worked for Laban another seven years. Its an old saying: those who dig holes for others, fall into it themselves. The Lord gave the results for for Jacob’s actions.

Genesis 27, tells us about Joseph. Jealousy and the dreams seen by Joseph drive his elder brothers to sell him for 20 silver coins. The elder brothers could not find it in their hearts to love their younger brother. They became enemies just because the father loved him more than his other sons. Genesis 45, in times of famine when the brothers came to Egypt , Joseph recognizes them. Instead of seeking revenge, he is in full power to do so. But he chooses to help them out.

In Genesis 45: 2, ² And he wept so loudly that the Egyptians heard him, and Pharaoh’s household heard about it, we read that Joseph cries out loudly. Man who could make others cry was crying himself. In Genesis 45:14, ¹⁴ Then he threw his arms around his brother Benjamin and wept, and Benjamin embraced him, weeping. ¹⁵ And he kissed all his brothers and wept over them. Afterward his brothers talked with him, we read he hugs his brothers and cries. Be it elder sibling or younger one we should love and respect them equally. Those who respect others are seen highly by others. Their value increases and not decreases. Those who respect their brothers and sisters, treat others also with respect. Those who treat others with contempt or look down upon others are wrong. Always remember before you are disrespectful to someone. Step into their shoes and feel the prick of your words and actions. Let this thought guide us to love and respect others.