Leviticus 19:3 "Each of you must respect your mother and father, and you must observe my Sabbaths. I am the Lord your God."
1 Peter 2:17 "Show proper respect to everyone, love the family of believers, fear God, honor the emperor."
Exodus 20:12 "Honor thy father and thy mother, that thy days may be long in the land which Jehovah thy God giveth thee."
Our relationships with each other are important to God. He specifically guides us in our relationships in 6 of the Ten Commandments. Relationships are built upon respect for one another and suffer severely when it is lacking.
Exodus 20:12 is not only a commandment, but one with a promise included. When we show respect to our parents, we honor them and show a godly relationship to others. As children, we are to obey our parents. "The ruin of young people has often been observed to begin in the contempt of their parents and the disregard of the sabbath day." [M.Henry] As adults, we are to have value and respect for our parents. "It's a life-long calling of unconditional love."
As 1 Peter 2:17 explains how respect is not discriminatory but should be given to all. Respect can just mean making someone feel of worth. "We are to respect and cherish all human life: the born and those still in the womb; winsome children and weary seniors; the wealthy executive and the financially destitute. All persons are unique productions of our Creator’s genius." [odb.org]
"We may say that people need to show themselves worthy of respect before we can respect them. But respecting another person is much more about who we are than about who the other person is." [odb.org] Christians are often ridiculed as being hypocrites because their walk isn't the same as their talk. When you disrespect others, you are not representing what God has asked of you in His Word.
May respect always be a given in your own life as you deal with family, friends, acquaintances and strangers.
Eight ways to honor our parents as adults:[A.Howard]
- Respect and learn from their wisdom.
- Help to meet their needs.
- Spend time with them.
- Remember special events.
- Love them unconditionally – being willing to forgive when necessary.
- Try to always speak highly of them.
- Understand their value in the eyes of God.
- Honor their legacy.
You'll gain respect when people see
That you are faithful to God's Word;
There may be some who disagree,
But they will know you love the Lord. —D. De Haan