Respect

We tend to disrespect people when we don’t agree with their views because we confuse respect with what it isn’t!

Respect has nothing to do with race, social status or religious affiliation. It has to do with the way a person carries themselves. People who act in a caring way towards someone who they don’t agree with gains my respect every time. I have friends who are Jewish, Muslim and Atheist. I certainly don’t believe everything they do, but I care about them as a human and it won’t help me or them, to rant and rave about our differences. Without sounding arrogant, I know that they respect me for caring despite our faith differences.

I have friends and ex students who have radically different views on social and moral issues. Responding with hatred and anger will solve nothing. Having respect for everyone, irrespective of race, values and religion will be far more effective in getting people to consider other views than hating them. Love always wins.

Now let me just clarify… I will never deny who I am. I am a Christian who believes that Jesus is my Saviour and through Him, I have eternal life because I realise I need His forgiveness and that I have received it through the cross. I don’t believe that a bad word or deed must be retaliated with the same. I do believe that the Bible is God’s infallible word and I live my life, guided by what it says, even though I mess up all the time. I don’t think that I am better than any other person, so when I share the love of Jesus, I am not judging anyone. God’s job is to judge, my job is to share the truth and to love.

I don’t care what the world says about Jesus, He is respected. Not because they necessarily believe who He is, but because how He lived. Let us live in such a way that people who might hate what we stand for, respect us anyway because of the way we love them despite our chasm of differences.

“Show respect to people even when they don’t deserve it. Respect is a reflection of your character, not theirs.” 

Have an amazing day.