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Respect and Dignity

Honoring others doesn’t come naturally to us, much less blessing those who seek our harm. However, Christians who are secure in their honor, who have their identity affirmed by God, confer that same dignity on others. They don’t have to defend their honor by disrespecting others. They don’t have to put other down to prop themselves up. 

Instead, by God’s grace and his Spirit, we can exalt Christ by respecting others. We can honor our Lord by dignifying our enemies. Not only that, but as we become outcasts in our land, we may gain a greater heart for reaching the least and the lost among us, for showing mercy to the despised and the lonely. The church may rediscover what it looks like to take the gospel, like Jesus, to those on the fringes of society — because we’ll be right there with them. 

  Elliot Clark in
“Evangelism as Exiles” 

 

My prayer this week: Lord, it must break your heart when people demean and disrespect others to build themselves up. This is the opposite of what you ask us to do! Please help me treat others with dignity and respect, since my identity rests securely in you. And by doing so, I exalt you! Help me gain a greater heart for reaching the least and the lost, and for showing mercy to the despised and lonely.