Wednesday in the Word! Respect part 2

Last week I asked you to find scripture to help me on the road to understanding biblical respect.  I found a few and I will share them.  Then it is your turn.  There were some great comments last week, but I am still looking for scripture to back up our beliefs about respect.

I will begin by giving a pretty basic and secular definition:

1. To feel or show deferential regard for; esteem.

2. To avoid violation of or interference with: respect the speed limit.
3. To relate or refer to; concern.

n.
1. A feeling of appreciative, often deferential regard; esteem. See Synonyms at regard.
2. The state of being regarded with honor or esteem.
3. Willingness to show consideration or appreciation.
4. respects Polite expressions of consideration or deference: pay one's respects.
5. A particular aspect, feature, or detail: In many respects this is an important decision.

Based on this definition I believe we can look at Proverbs 1:8-9.  Hear, my son your father's instruction, and forsake not your mother's teaching, for they are a graceful garland for your head and pendants for your neck.  The scripture is calling children to have a deferential regard for the instruction that parents give. It is highlighted as adornment around their head and neck.

Romans 13:1-7 talks about respect to authorities.  It also highlights that authorities are not bad but good.  Authority seems bad to you when you go against it.  I will add here that men and women in power have a tendency to abuse that place and lord over people.  Which goes against the very purpose of authorities.

That brings me to my final point.  Then I would love to hear from you.  We see perfect love, respect and authority in the relationship of the Father and Christ.  Christ was in perfect submission to the Father. (John 6:35-40) It was the Father's will that Christ yielded to in everything.  Christ pointed to the Father in all things.  Then the Father turns around and points to the Son.  (John 1:33-34) What an awesome picture of love, respect and authority.  I see the scripture telling us we need all three working in concert.

What does that mean practically? To the mom and dad you have to carry your authority from a place of love and not power.  We have talked over and over about this in our home.  It is love and not power.  What do we naturally do and or think of those who use their power over you?  If you examine your heart, you will know without a shadow of a doubt that the forcefully powerful lose every time.  Let's take a second look at Christ.  Over and over He could have exercised His power but every time he displayed love.  Guess what that does?  It draws the loved person closer.  Their respect and love increases as a result.

Last week I was DONE!  Do you hear me DONE!  However my husband really walked our family through the truth of love, respect and authority.  When there is love, grace, patience, long suffering, gentleness and clearly defined expectations there will be respect.  You don't even have to fight for it.  There will be a natural out pour of respect.  I think last week I was ready to fight for respect.  I do mean fight! However, from the scriptures I see that love is how respect is gained.

Wednesday's Word!

What does the scripture have to say about respect?  I am on a quest to define and completely nail this topic.  We are called to respect in a million different ways.  Wives see to that you respect your husband.  Children obey your parents.  I think that is a type of respect.  You have to have some level of respect in order to obey another person.  Right?  Well, today I am looking for your help.  Throw out some scriptures and definitions about respect.

Is it disrespectful for a child to express themselves to a parent and point their finger at them?

Is it respectful to be brutally honest with someone?

Is it respectful to call a person older than you by their first name?

What examples in scripture can we look to in order to understand respect better?

Are the lines black and white?  Is there gray area?  Let's take some time to look at this.

I found these scriptures in the concordance of my bible:

Matthew 21:37  (this passage describes a lack of respect),
Romans 13:7 (about giving proper respect to the appropraite people)
I Thessalonians 5:12 (giving respect to those over you, because they labour and love you)
I Peter 2:18 (being respectful even in the really hard areas)

What can you find?  What can we look at together?

Our goal is to understand RESPECT from a biblical perspective.  Respect in relationships such as husband and wife, parent and child, older and younger, and finally peer to peer.    

Wednesday's Word

Women in the Word Wednesday!

What scriptures have blessed your soul this week? I want to hear what the Lord is doing in your heart. Where is the Lord challenging you to walk closer to Him? You need to comment. Even if you can't see or understand what is happening in your life. Leave a comment and allow other women to minister to your need.

For me the Lord is teaching so many things. However off the top of my head it is how to love. I am learning how to love others not in my might or power or even from my understanding. God is slowly showing me how to listen and learn to love. He is showing me His Love and from that Love I am able to pour into the hearts and minds of others His love. Love is huge; I was talking to my kids the other day about why they believe Jesus even came to earth and eventually died upon the cross. They gave many reasons but all three concluded with LOVE! Then we went on to talk about how difficult it is for us to understand the weight of the Love of God because of our own love levels. Our love is often temporary, convenient, self serving and on and on. So my thoughts are to encourage you with the truth of Love unfailing Love for His children even while they hated him.

Here are some scriptures to meditate on:

John 15:13

1 Corinthians 13:1-13

1 John 4:7-12

Romans 5:7-8 my favorite!

Women in the Word Wednesday!

Mark 8:31-38

31 And he began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes and be killed, and after three days rise again. 32And he said this plainly. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. 33But turning and seeing his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, "Get behind me, Satan! For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man."

34And calling the crowd to him with his disciples, he said to them, "If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 35For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel’s will save it. 36 For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul? 37For what can a man give in return for his soul? 38For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of Man also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels."

I was challenged this week to consider what I have been willing to exchange for my life.  Is it the gospel, the cross of Christ, or some created thing?  I found I placed high stakes in the preservation of my own life, some how unwilling to truly DENY MYSELF and FOLLOW CHRIST IN EVERYTHING!  In my effort to preserve my life I lose it and there is no gain.  The scripture plainly states that if I give up my life, I will gain it.  Lord help me to see that seeking gain in this world is loss. However to lose now is an eternal weight in Glory!  

Lord, count me with the angels that chant your praise both day and night for eternity!

Holy, Holy Holy is the Lord God almighty!