RESPECT Valuing one another highly, treating one another as important, and honoring one another with our words and actions. (Romans 12:10, 1 Peter 2:17)
Respect for Believers and Others
Let’s take a look this week at this powerful prayer that Jesus prayed before He left His “earthly” body. Would you please take some time and read the words Jesus prayed for YOU, for us all? Will you imagine yourself listening in while Jesus prays this prayer to The Father? Hear His words for you, maybe even insert your name. How do you feel about being so important to Jesus that He prayed and prays for you? Respected and valued come to mind as possible feelings we’d experience.
Jesus Prays to be Glorified
John Chapter 17 After Jesus said this, he looked toward heaven and prayed:
“Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you. 2 For you granted him authority over all people that he might give eternal life to all those you have given him. 3 Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. 4 I have brought you glory on earth by finishing the work you gave me to do. 5 And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began.
Jesus Prays for His Disciples
6 “I have revealed you [ a ] to those whom you gave me out of the world. They were yours; you gave them to me and they have obeyed your word. 7 Now they know that everything you have given me comes from you. 8 For I gave them the words you gave me and they accepted them. They knew with certainty that I came from you, and they believed that you sent me. 9 I pray for them. I am not praying for the world, but for those you have given me, for they are yours. 10 All I have is yours, and all you have is mine. And glory has come to me through them. 11 I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them by the power of [ b ] your name, the name you gave me, so that they may be one as we are one. 12 While I was with them, I protected them and kept them safe by [ c ] that name you gave me. None has been lost except the one doomed to destruction so that Scripture would be fulfilled. 13 “I am coming to you now, but I say these things while I am still in the world, so that they may have the full measure of my joy within them. 14 I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world. 15 My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. 16 They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. 17 Sanctify them by [ d ] the truth; your word is truth. 18 As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world. 19 For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified.
Jesus Prays for All Believers
20 “My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, 21 that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. 22 I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one- 23 I in them and you in me-so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me. 24 “Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world. 25 “Righteous Father, though the world does not know you, I know you, and they know that you have sent me. 26 I have made you known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them.”
Do you think someone that is willing to leave heaven, be born in human form as an infant, be beaten and crucified exemplifies respect? Does His prayer for YOU demonstrate respect? Let’s take a look at our definition for RESPECT: Valuing one another highly, treating one another as important, and honoring one another with our words and actions.
I believe Jesus’ sacrifice absolutely exemplifies respect. He values us so dearly that He became flesh and died for our sins so we could be free! He laid down His own life for us. He took what we deserved. He considered YOUR life more valuable then His own.
Listen to his words as He prays, almost as a last ditch effort to make sure we are cared for and protected. If showing respect to someone means valuing them highly and considering them as important, I say this prayer clearly shows Jesus’ great respect for us. Do you?
Let’s exemplify His prayer and respect for us by lifting up those within our church, our family, our friends. Let’s show them how much we value them by asking them how we may pray for them. Let’s watch and learn how each of them shows it when respect is shown and choose to respect them in those ways that matter to them.
I don’t know about you, but I feel very loved, valued and important if someone asks me specifically how they can pray for me. To know they will be taking time to lift my heart up in prayer to The Father says they care for and value me.
There have been times in my life that I was in great need of prayer. Going through stressful and fearful times, it gave me great relief knowing my dear ones were lifting me in prayer. I knew I was so important to them that they prayed and invested time in my life.
Well, look at Jesus. He lifted you in prayer even before your existence. Isn’t that an amazing thought? And now He “ever lives to make intercession for us”! (Hebrews 7:25) Praise Him!