Image courtesy of The Spider
What are the odds that you're holding your title with dignity?
Dignity means told hold something honorably, or show a standard of worth.
Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long upon the land which The Lord your God is giving you. (Exodus 20:12 NKJV).
Honor, dignity, respect, what do they mean to you as a child of God? What do these words have in common? They reflect worth, and admiration, they place value.
- Respect: a feeling of admiring someone or something that is good, valuable, important, etc.
Respect is not fear, it's admiration.
In the fight game, people call fear a healthy respect. However, fear is totally different from respect.
In the fight game a fighter respects another fighters skill and deems them worthy of competing against. They respect one another by being aware of each others strengths and understanding the value of having the opportunity to accept the challenge. If one fighter comes out slow or timid, turning his or her back immediately before one strike has landed and appears as though they are afraid of getting hurt, then most likely that fighter is afraid. If a person issues a challenge then backs down, that's a symbol of fear.
Do your kids cower as you walk past them? Do they duck or cry when you approach them? The imperfect one would hope not.
Do you crouch or cry at the sight of your parents approaching? Again the imperfect one would hope not.
Some of you have heard the old cluché, "Just wait til your father gets home!"
If there was respect in that home, mama wouldn't have to wait for daddy to get home, or for a replacement dad to show up, the children would do as they were supposed to, and be obedient. The same holds true for us all (regardless of age) concerning God.
When we as children act out, or commit a deviant act towards our parents or act ungodly away from church then we are disrespectful. What's the worry? Dad is not physically there, so what's the worry?
The truth in respect, is that a child wouldn't fear corporal punishment more than the fear of losing self worth and value, because they tried to lessen the value of their parents.
Respect is a Middle English term taken from the Latin word, respectus, which derived from respicere, meaning to look back in regard to (re+specere) to look -- more... spy.
Remember that children's song, "O' Be Careful?"
They don't spy or waste time watching them out of fear. They, the children, watch because they admire that adult, their parent(s).
The imperfect one admires the innocence and beauty of an 8 month old baby. The imperfect one understands that the 8 month old is dependent on an adult to meet his/her needs. That 8 month old has the respect of the imperfect Christian. The imperfect Christian is not the least bit afraid of that child, but admires that child and respects it.
The imperfect Christian respects a person seasoned with 80 years. The imperfect Christian admires the experience and survival skills of this person, whether male or female. Again, the imperfect one is not afraid of this person, but admires this person.
There is value in human life. The imperfect Christian understands the value of life. When others do not see the value in others then they are disrespectful. The imperfect Christian encourages all to have a "self-respect" that would outshine the disrespectful actions of others. Honor your parents, but more so, honor your God, so that you may be honorable in your own right, honorable in the sight of of others, honorable in His sight.
Until the blessing of a new dawn...
Until the return of Christ Jesus...
Peace, blessings, and joy...
That real PB&J!
