Rodney Dangerfield was known by his signature line, “I don’t get no respect.” He understood what we all feel. We all want to be respected. Respect is a core value of Integrity Church.
One dimension of respect is the way we respond to people who have authority over us. The Bible says that all authority is from God. Occasionally we will need to challenge authority, but as a rule, authority is to be respected.
Another dimension of respect is how we treat each other. We have a radically egalitarian society, which means we don’t always know how to show respect. We are all equal. Let that be our motivation to respect everyone, instead of respecting no one.
The last dimension of respect is how we treat people who are vulnerable. That would include the unborn, the young, the old, the poor, the disabled, and the foreigner. The Christian church has always been a leader in taking the side of those who cannot defend themselves.
In our sermon this Sunday, we will look at what the Bible tells us about respect.