Respect is NOT earned.Even though most believe that it is, it is not. Respect is something someone HAS. To give. Usually unevenly and unfairly.

☆ Show proper respect to everyone
• 1 Peter 2:17

That sums it up.
It’s not;
• Respect them if…
• Respect them when…or
• Respect them because…

Proving, contrary to the worlds culture, that respect is NOT earned.

So , again, Respect is NOT earned. Respect is a character trait that someone ‘HAS’ to GIVE.

Continuing, that scripture says;
☆ ‘Love the family of believers, fear God, honor the emperor.

So, it’s telling us to ALSO give special attention to believers, which means;
– The 1st part is for us to give respect to NON Believers.
– The next part is to do that + MORE for fellow Christians
– To revere God, and then finally,
– To give honor to those in political power.
(At the time of 1 Peter’s text, Domitian was the Caesar, and it is said he was a cruel as Nero)

This is a HUGE paradigm shift from the world.

The world lives in a
‘BECAUSE YOU’
Mentality.

• I yelled, ‘because you’…
• I spoke disrespectfully, ‘because you’…
• I wasn’t kind, ‘because you’…

Whenever we say ‘Because you…’
We are always thinking
‘About ourselves!’

‘Because you’, is a self centered way to remove all accountability.

to NOT have to be respectful.

Letting other peoples words, behaviors or actions dictate how WE react is NOT how Christ examples how we should be.

☆ Outdo one another in showing honor.
• Romans 12:10

☆ In humility count others more significant than yourselves.
• Philippians 2:3

So, let us be that shining example of love, forgiveness, mercy, grace and compassion.

That way, respect is something that we would ‘have’ so much of, that we would know that no one would ever be able to ‘earn’ it, from us.

And we will never have to say
‘I did/acted/said/ that
BECAUSE YOU…!’
ever again.

So, Respect is NOT earned, it is given and men, give it to everyone, all the time.

I love you guys.