No Respect
I was taught respect at an early age – respect for parents, respect for property, respect for other people and their belongings, and respect for God and His word. I can’t tell you how many spankings I got if I did not show the proper respect for others. I was spared one time from the spanking because my brother was the one who had not spoken to an older person when they had spoken to him. My little mother gave him a “talking to” and a spanking about showing respect for your elders. I learned the lesson!
As I view the world today, and the lack of respect for so many people and things, I don’t think there is a paddle large enough to do the job needed for training those who need to learn how to show respect.
When I taught high school, one of my classroom rules had to do with showing respect – for me as the teacher, yes, but also for me to show respect for my students when they earned it. I can’t tell you how well this worked! Disrespect was not allowed in my classroom. This is not to say that I never had any discipline problems in my classroom, but when they happened, I did my best to handle the situation in a respectful way. I tried to remember that not all students had been trained by my mother!
Let me bring it up to today:
- I know some older adults who show no respect for those who are around them. They could care less how their actions and language affect other people. They set an example to those who come in contact with them of exactly how NOT to act. They are lacking in respect.
- I know some middle aged adults who show little or no respect for those who aren’t in their age group. They are busy with their life and their career and too busy with work, children, clubs, vacations, and lots of other things to really show any interest in those around them. They are lacking in respect.
- I know some young adults who are just getting started in their adult lives who only have time for one another. They don’t often take time to interact with those outside of their age group. In this way, they are lacking in respect.
- I know some teenagers who are lacking in respect for their teachers, their parents, some of their friends, older adults, and sadly, for themselves. They play with their phones, whisper, and giggle among themselves at times when reverence and respect should be their focus. They are lacking in respect.
- And out of all of these groups, I know some people who are lacking in respect for God and His word. Their actions show it. Their language displays it. Their apathy is apparent. Their study of God’s Word is lacking. Their obedience to what God has commanded of them is missing. They are lacking in respect.
Please don’t think that this is just me venting about something that has really been bothering me lately. And please don’t think that this is confined to any one place – it isn’t.
It is simply an opening of my heart to all those who may read this post. It is simply my way of saying how much I care about the importance of respect for others, and especially, respect for God.
Let’s all take the time to examine our actions and our way of life so we can be sure that we show the proper respect in all situations.
“We ask you, brothers, to respect those who labor among you and are over you
in the Lord and admonish you, and to esteem very highly in love because
of their work. Be at peace among yourselves” (1 Thess. 5:12-13).
AUTHOR: Donna Faughn
