FEBRUARY 16, 2022

BIBLE READINGS

Romans 12:9-10 

9 Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good. 10 Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other.

 

Philippians 2:3-4 

3 Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. 4 Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.



On Monday our devotion emphasized that 1 Corinthians 13, the love chapter, reminds us that simple gestures and gifts of love are to be our everyday gifts to others, not just on one day a year.

On Tuesday our devotion emphasized that there will always be things in our relationships that we “agree to disagree on.” We concluded with loving others while disagreeing with them at the same time is possible, not easy, but with God’s help by the Holy Sprit we can learn to grow in this area.

Today lets reflect on one important area for Growth.

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I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU RESPECT

To show respect to someone means that we esteem them. Even if we don’t agree with someone’s stance, we can still treat them respectfully. It’s not about feeling respect for them but showing it to them.

If you want to learn how to show respect to others, try spending time with someone who doesn’t agree with you. Showing respect when we think someone else’s viewpoint or belief system is completely wrong can be challenging. There are some things we can do as we interact with others who don’t share our worldview and beliefs.

Ask Questions Respectfully
When we ask questions respectfully, we open a doorway to learn why someone believes what they do. It gives us a peek inside their hearts and minds and allows us to really see them. Instead of making condescending statements when someone shares their opinion, try asking, “How did you come to that belief?” We respect others by showing respect in the way we ask and answer questions.

Watch Your Tone
Disagreeing with someone isn’t a huge deal, and is easy to deal with if the situation doesn’t get heated. But, unfortunately, we get bothered when someone doesn’t see a situation or have the viewpoint the way we do. When that happens, we lash out with our words and display an equal annoyance. So, consider how you want to be treated. Let’s leave that mean or angry tone out of the disagreement equation.

Avoid Arguments
Most arguments are pointless. We only have so much energy each day and to give it to wasteful and time-zapping arguments, including ones on social media, means we have nothing left in our relational reserves for those closest to us. You might say, “But I need them to hear my point!” Why? To win the argument? We can’t change people. We can only change ourselves and be in control of how we respond. Don’t let argument-prone people dictate your actions. Those kinds of interactions do nothing to build a bridge in a relationship. They only strain it more.

What I am suggesting above, is hard stuff right. I tell you from my own personal journey this has been a great struggle, and I have some growing yet to do. As I mature in Christ, I have come to understand that as followers of Jesus, we should set the standard for respect because of who Jesus is in our lives. He doesn’t force us to follow Him but died on the cross so we would. Let’s represent Him well as we encounter people who know Him and those who don’t. Let’s lovingly discuss with our fellow believers, and lets not expect non-Christians to hold a Christian world view. As we show people respect in how we treat them, we can trust that God is working in the situation.

I worked with a gentleman who was a self described agnostic. When I started working with him, he was terribly hard on me, he would watch me struggle with things and stand back and laugh, he would say things to me that he knew were hurtful and offensive, he would play music in our area from a station that played music from the thrities and forties, just wasn’t my taste for music and he knew it. At one point I thought I don’t think I can possibly work with this guy. I am going to see if I can go back to my old job. 

Then one day, he was struggling with a problem, and I stood back and laughed at him, and then I helped him. From that moment on our relationship changed. I never did argue with him about his agnostic views but over time I learned he had been wounded deeply by a Church experience. When he shared his heart with me, I began to see him in very different light. He became one of the best guys I ever worked with. When as a theology student I was asked to preach at a local Church, guess who showed up in support. That’s right, my agnostic co worker. Afterward, he said “you done good, kid”. God was at work through it all. Hey, I even learned to like some of that 40’s music he blasted at our work station.

I believe the advice from our readings today are worth reflecting on and practicing “Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.” That’s showing respect.