Friday, July 31, 2020

FMF: Respect

Give to everyone what you owe them:
If you owe taxes, pay taxes;
if revenue, then revenue;
if respect, then respect;
if honor, then honor.
Romans 3:7, NIV


This seems like such a straightforward passage.  If you owe something to someone, give it to them.  It's pretty easy to apply the concept to taxes or revenue, but when I come to the second half of the verse it gets harder.  Too often, I want to chose who deserves my respect.  I want to decide who deserves my honor.  Yet, I see that the verse does not say, "Give to everyone what you THINK you owe them."

There are some people who by virtue of their position in your life that deserve respect.  Parents.  Bosses.  Government leaders.

Pause for a moment: Government leaders?  I never doubted if I should write this; it's just that, in today's political climate, this is a controversial statement.  Respecting government leaders was the essence of Paul's words here to the believers in Rome, so I'm guessing that it was controversial in Paul's time too.  Their country did not share their faith.  There must have been moments when it was challenging to respect leaders whose decisions seemed to fly in the face of what they believed.  At times their government was trying to kill them.  At times their government was killing them.  But that's what makes respect so powerful.

I'm sure that each of us struggles with respecting different people in our lives.  I know who I struggle with.  I am challenged to ask God if there are any less obvious people to whom I do not give proper respect.



This post is a prompt from Five Minute Friday and was written in approximately five minutes. For more information, visit fiveminutefriday.com.

14 comments:

  1. Oh Amie, you are speaking to my heart this morning! This must be the burden many of us are feeling in our FMF community. Kate obviously chose the perfect word for this week. Thank you~

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    1. Thank you, Karen. It's reassuring to know that where God led me is in line with others' hearts also.

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  2. Visiting as your FMF neighbor. Government ... respect. It almost sounds like an oxymoron -- in today's world and in Paul's world. Yet we are called to respect the positions of authority. Too often we confuse the person with the office. May we all step back and make that distinction, not because we want to, but because we're commanded to. Have a blessed week!

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    1. Thanks for your comments, Joe. There are lots of things I do because they are the right thing, and not because I want to. This shouldn't be any different. Although, I do hope at some point I want to do what is right also.

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  3. Good post, good thoughts.

    I think a lot of this is wrapped up in a herd mentality; it's uncool to respect leaders. In the case of, say, the President (yeah, I'll go there) a lot of folks will say just how awful he is, and when you ask for specific examples, will merely reply, "Well, DUH!"

    In reality, they haven't a clue. They'll frame his awfulness in the mantra of the entertainers or athletes or friends they admire, because shared derision brings them a perceived acceptance in the privileged circle. They don't need logic, or even truth; they just need, overwhelmingly, to belong.

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    1. I agree we easily fall into a herd mentality. We need to make sure we search for God's opinion on all matters - not the popular opinion, and not even the popular christian opinion.

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  4. I totally hear you and received your honest words in the comment box on my blog! The Romans passage is Truth. And, the Acts 4:19-20 is Truth. It takes great prayer and discernment to know when the fine line is to be crossed!

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    1. I'm glad to read this Susan. I've had a lot of heart checks over the last few months. God has really been opening my eyes to the errors of my ways. I think hard times are good for that.

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  5. Yes it is challenging and that is why it can be such a powerful witness - thank you for your honesty, have a blessed weekend!

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    1. Thanks for your comment. May we both be victorious in this area.

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  6. So challenging! I’m visiting from FMF. I’m over in the #20 spot.

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  7. Oof. Respecting government...I genuinely don't know what that looks like right now. Maybe it starts with me praying for our leaders, as I'm supposed to (but often don't want to do). Thanks for this reminder.

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    1. I'm with you Marie; I don't really know either. It definitely includes prayer. I think it also includes the way we question and criticize. I'm not saying to blindly follow because we are fortunate enough to have a country where the people influence our leaders (well, are supposed to influence our leaders). Rather, the way we esteem them in our hearts, if that makes sense.

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