Respect.
Many folks seek respect from all over. The doctor wants his recognition. The lawyer wants his. The judge wants his. The president wants his. The husband wants his. The dad wants his. And the list goes on and on. There’s only one problem with that: nobody ever knows anyone completely. There’s only one person who knows everyone completely: Jesus.
“But Jesus would not entrust himself to them, for he knew all people. He did not need any testimony about mankind, for he knew what was in each person.” (John 2:24-25)
Jesus knew everyone then as one kind: sinners loved by God, to be redeemed by his blood.
That’s the only respect I enjoy, “loved by God, redeemed by the blood of Jesus.”
Nothing thrills me like the story of my redemption. Nothing makes me more proud than being a child of God by his grace through believing in Jesus.
I can’t remember everything about myself to expose them to anyone as a basis of assessment for my due respect. But if anyone recognizes me as a redeemed of God through Christ, that’s enough of a respect for me. That’s where I’m anchored by God, in Christ.
There will be many times for the judge to wish he wasn’t a judge, or the lawyer to wish he wasn’t a lawyer. All those self-imposed respects will prove to be burdensome and vanishing with time. But being loved and redeemed by God through Christ will always outlast them all, and also prove to be fitting and very relieving in all circumstances.
Give thanks in all circumstances.
Jesus is the well of the living water, the Holy Spirit. 