There’s no end of advice and things to try to improve how we feel. It’s great to feel good about ourselves and we also love to feel warmness to others, especially the most important people in our lives. Work is also so much better when we feel valued and connected.
I’ve been noticing lately that the key ingredient in all these relationships at work and at home is respect. Let me explain why this matters for adults. Respect is always so important for kids growing up. Parents give their kids cues to say “please” and “thank you”. And now during covid we also remind them to mind a 1.5m gap. As a Parents we feel driven to constantly remind them to be awareness of others around them because we know respect is a key skill for life.
Australia’s Indiginous people are also so strong on the issue of respect. I’ve seen leaders teaching their children respect for their ancient culture, for their elders and for the land. Its much more than table manners, respect is something they must fight to reclaim and keep strong. We all can learn from this because regaining proper respect for life is essential for spiritual health.
Respect has a powerful effect on our sense of self. Christian spirituality begins with respect for the maker of life. The word glory in Hebrew translates “weight”. it’s a spiritual practice, to respect is to give weight or glory. When you stop for a few moments and appreciate your life and thank your maker, there’s a weight to it. You are literally giving weight to God. This simple act of respect for God is so important. Like gravity respect for God adds weight to something important in our lives that then pulls other things into alignment too. It changes our sense of self, our thoughts and actions. Moments of respect for me often leave me feeling better and life feels more substantial. I gain a better (& honest) perspective.
Respect pulls a whole lot of other things into perspective too. Like the dignity of other people ( uniquely and wonderfully made). Like my connection with the land or the environment. And even basic pleasures of food, clothes and shelter. Respect helps us feel thankful. Its a good recipe for contentment. And the key step is to stop and notice the elephant in the room, God our maker who brought everything we have into existence resides with us (unseen) today.
I’d love your thoughts about respect. I hope you get what I mean about the deeper significance of respect, it’s not only a “nice” social behaviour. If this is something you practice this week, I’d love to hear your experiences.