Respect is not the needle nor the yarn but rather the jacket that’s woven over a lifetime of selfless deeds.
1 Thessalonians 4:9-12
The Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin, made respect famous with her hit song R-E-S-P-E-C-T.
While this Blogmeister won’t be writing about the content of the song, the main theme of the song is demanding respect.
In addition to having songs written about it, respect is one of those things that most of us want. When we do, we have to be careful not to pursue it as a means of validating our own accomplishments. That would be prideful respect. But rather, we should strive to do good things and earn respect – without having to beg for it; no slight intended to the Queen of Soul.
In today’s Tiny Words. Big Life. Bible verse, Paul is praising the church in Thessalonica for its steadfast faith and perseverance. He also encourages them to mind their own business and work with your hands, so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders…”
Paul is telling the believers that a life that honors God will cause others, who do not know God, to believe as they do. In other words, earning respect for the way you live will bring others to Christ.
Today’s Tiny Words. Big Life. quote talks about earning respect in your life (the jacket) that’s woven from your actions (the needle and the yarn).
On that note, think about your answers to these questions:
Will the way you’re living your life appeal to others? Will they come because of all the things you have? Will they want to imitate your life because of all the money you’ve made? Or, will they want to be like you because of the honor that you hold and the respect that you’ve earned from living a committed spiritual life?
Finally, is your jacket something you could wear, in spiritual confidence, on that final trip to the Pearly Gates?
The Tiny Words. Big Life. “AHA!” moment is this: The respect you should be seeking is not found in this world. It cannot be demanded (again, no slight to the Queen of Soul). It cannot be bought and it cannot be sold. It can only be earned.
So, live for spiritual respect, not the respect from showing others all you’ve done or the things you’ve accumulated in this world.
Live your life to earn God’s R-E-S-P-E-C-T.
When you do that, you can confidently sing the words in the chorus made famous by the Queen of Soul:
“Sock it to me. Sock it to me. Sock it to me. Just a little bit…”
1 Thessalonians 4:9-12
9 Now about your love for one another we do not need to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love each other. 10 And in fact, you do love all of God’s family throughout Macedonia. Yet we urge you, brothers and sisters, to do so more and more, 11 and to make it your ambition to lead a quiet life: You should mind your own business and work with your hands, just as we told you, 12 so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody.