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Relationships Based On Respect!

by Angela Willingham  
5/28/2009 / Relationships

Relationships! Relationships! Relationships!

Why are relationships so difficult?

Love! Love! Love!
Respect! Respect! Respect!
Communication! Communication! Communication!



Love, Respect and Communication are all key components necessary for every good relationship. If you were to give all of your relationships a check up right now, what would you find? Are any of the key components missing?

The bible is clear on God's definition of love. Love is defined in 1 Corinthians 13. That chapter is known by many of us as The Love Chapter. There is nothing left to the imagination as it relates to love.

What about respect?

Is God's direction about respect as clear as His direction on love?

Peter 2:17 says, "Show respect for everyone. Love your Christian brothers and sisters.[a] Fear God. Show respect for the king."

How clear is respect in that verse of scripture?

God is very clear in telling us to respect everyone. We are not to respect based on what they do or do not do. We are not to respect based on their relationship to us. Respect your children, husband, co-workers and the homeless man on the street if you want to be obedient to God. By our showing respect we are also showing love.

Does showing respect mean that I agree with everything the person says or does?

No, it does not. Showing respect is not based on agreement. The bible is clear in Romans 13:1, that we are to, Obey the government, for God is the one who put it there. All governments have been placed in power by God. There are individuals in positions of authority right now that we may not have voted for, however, God allowed them to be placed in position and we must respect them. There are people in our families that we did not choose but that does not take away our responsibility to show them respect. The best way to know whether or not you are showing respect to another is to ask how you would want to be treated. Many of us have individuals in our lives that are struggling with different issues, financial difficulties, divorces, relationship break ups, weight problems, emotional distress behind relationships that everyone told us we should never have been involved in, in the first place, etc. Whatever the issue the person is dealing with whether it is self imposed or a difficulty they had no control over, we are still expected to show them respect.

Do you have any relationships where you have begun to disrespect someone because of your opinions? You see a friend struggling financially and you are unconcerned and will not even pray for them because you think they got into it because of their poor decisions and spending habits? You have another friend that is overweight and you have no compassion because you see their eating habits and you think, why bother?

Challenge yourself through the leading of the Holy Spirit to identify the relationships where you have begun to show disrespect and ask God to show you how to move back into a loving, respectful relationship.

What are some signs of disrespect?
Disregard of the other persons feelings.
Not listening or allowing them to share their opinions or feelings.
Cutting the person off when they are talking.
Talking over the other person.
Talking to the other person while walking a way from them.
Being rude or insensitive.
Rolling your eyes or some other action or attitude that is unloving.
Walking away from the person.
Using profanity in your conversation with them.
Talking down to another person.
Making fun of what the other person is saying.

Do any of these describe your behavior in relationships?

If they do we encourage you to pray and ask God to show you how to renew your respect in these relationships and how to honor and respect those that you are in relationship with.

Scripture-
Peter 2:17 says, "Show respect for everyone. Love your Christian brothers and sisters.[a] Fear God. Show respect for the king."

Angela Willingham, CEO New Beginnings Holistic Fitness Ministries, Inc.
www.mynewtemple.org
Copyright New Beginnings Holistic Fitness Ministries, Inc.

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