It’s easy rather very very easy to love a loving man, it’s easy to speak politely to someone who speaks to us gently, it’s easy to have fun around someone who is friendly yet ‘Respect’ – we respect a person not based on their outward nature or character, this is very deep and we tend to take a lot of time to discern and it’s only through a lot of process we tend to build a respect for a person.
A person need not be perfect to be respected, no man is except for our Saviour. Yet there’s honesty and transparency in the way he deals. He might fail at times yet he is willing to set things right and move on.
There’s a lot of grace that’s required to be respected because that means this person has a humble heart to have received that grace. Grace cannot be produced. It might be fakely projected yet that would not last for long. Such a man thinks lowly about himself, he doesn’t boast or proclaim highly thoughts of himself. He is more sober and quiet.
A man need not sit on a throne like a dictator to be respectable. He can actually have an attitude of a servant at home. Yes, he is the head of his home yet he places everyone his wife and children above himself. Like a servant he serves the needs of others first and then himself.
This man might not have many gifts yet fruits does dwell in him in abundance. He might not know how to cook, clean, teach, etc yet when there’s a need he will go out of his way to help. He will find alternatives to do all that he can. He will never give an excuse for his incapabilities yet with his lack, he will come and let us know – this is me, can you use me?
Such a man need not be dependent on anything yet ANYTHING external to show others his value. Fancy clothes, shoes, cars, gadgets – no no!! He might rather have a cracked broken phone yet be the King of everyone’s heart at home.
This man might know how to do many things excellently like drive a distance of 25 km in 30 minutes. Yes that’s a gift!! Yet when there’s a need to care and be gentle, he will choose to take the humblest patch of the road, looking like a amateur driver, and drive at 5km/hr just to meet another’s need.
With every passing year and with every grey hair that pops on the forehead of this discerner (Mrs S), I have begun to see the fairy tales in a very different light. The prince charming, the hero and the most respected person is not the one who proclaims or projects to be one. He is not found in the palaces and luxurious places, he might rather be somewhere near the brooks or the green pastures tending his little flock – the flock that the Lord has given him – yes the flock called His family.
