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 Those Outside the Faith
I was driving in my car the other day and a song came on the radio by Sidewalk Prophets called “Save My Life” . The first part of the song is about a server at a restaurant:
We’ve met half a dozen times I know your name I know you don’t know mine But I won’t hold that against you
You come here every Friday night I take your order and try to be polite And hide what I’ve been going through
If you looked me right in the eye Would see the pain deep inside Would you take the time to
Then the chorus:
Tell me what I need to hear Tell me that I’m not forgotten Show me there’s a God Who can be more than all I’ve ever wanted’ Cause right now I need a little hope I need to know that I’m not alone Maybe God is calling you tonight To tell me something That might save my life
Have you been there? On either end of the table?
As I was sitting in the restaurant, I could clearly tell that our server was having a bad day. Tempting as it may be to ignore that and go about your company at the table, what would it cost you to take just a minute to ask ho w she is doing, what her name is? I watched her as she served the other tables. Did anyone else notice? She tried to put on a smile but you could tell, if you looked closely, that her smile diminished as she walked away. Turned out that our server had worked two 13-hour days straight and was simply tired.
I don’t know if we brought a little cheer to her day or not, but at least we asked about HER. She spent 13 hours asking US and OTHERS how she could serve….. I am sure beneath her smiling exterior, inside, there is a bigger story. We encounter many as we go about our day that have a similar story as this server. Going, going, some carrying pain, worries, or even joy they’d love to share. We have an opportunity to make a difference, even if it is a small one.
What about those you see at the grocery store? The cashier ringing up the order while the person they are serving doesn’t even acknowledge their existence. They could be chatting away on their phone and never make eye contact or any type of gesture to the cashier as they pay and walk away, still chatting away on their phone. How do you think that feels to the cashier? I am pretty sure that was not the only one they served that day that did that to them. The disrespect that must convey to them when their very existence is not even acknowledged. It’s heart breaking that this happens time and time again to those we “brush” against during our day.
Let’s take a look at the chorus to this song:
Tell me what I need to hear Tell me that I’m not forgotten Show me there’s a God Who can be more than all I’ve ever wanted ‘Cause right now I need a little hope I need to know that I’m not alone Maybe God is calling you tonight To tell me something That might save my life
Does this hit you as it hit me? Isn’t it amazing how easily we can miss an opportunity to show respect , even not meaning to be disrespectful to another? Though these opportunities arise many times in a day, I am amazed at how easily we can miss chances to reflect Jesus!
Do The Book
Last week we looked at Christ’s prayer and His great respect for us. (John 17)Would you pray with me for God to show us opportunities as we “brush” against others, to reflect Christ? Pray that we may show others the respect we ourselves would want to be shown. Pray that we remember everyone has a story and everyone wants to be acknowledged. It may possibly lead you to an even deeper conversation that could lead to a life saved! If we are not asking God for the opportunities or looking at the souls beneath the surface in one another, we just may miss something glorious.
Maybe we all need glasses!