R-E-S-P-E-C-T

I think that there is a great lack of respect going on in this country.  Every one wants to be right unequivocally.  I think that what we need to understand is that we are all human and we are all imperfect.  Just because there is something that I may be struggling with does not mean that you get to disrespect the things that I am great in.  Just because President Obama can't come in and fix the country in twelve or eighteen months flat, that does not mean that we may now disrespect him.  I believe that the United States, once a super power in the world, is now faltering because of a lack of respect.

Respect is defined as "Esteem for a sense of worth or excellence of a person, or something considered as a manifestation of personal quality or ability."

I think in order for someone to show to respect to another person they must first respect themselves. If respect is defined as "a sense or worth or excellence in another person", then you must first be able to see excellence or worth.  If you feel worthless and poor in spirit then it will be hard for you to be able to to see that quality in another. 

I have found in life that people can only see life through the lens from which they see the world.  The environment that you were raised in, the values or the lack thereof, the home training or the lack thereof, the religious beliefs or the lack thereof are the reasons why we see things the way we do.  The moral fiber of the world that we live in is in need of deep repair.  I think that we are beginning to celebrate what is bad about us and what is depraved about us as a people. 

I am beginning to think that racism is just a mask for something much more evil.  Yes I believe that racism is because of hate.  But I think that hate is spawned by a fear.  And not fear of the thing that we have used to drape our fear across; but fear of the disgust we feel within ourselves.  If one person felt totally at peace with every value inside of their heart and soul..............there would be NO NEED to look at what we perceive as "wrong" in someone else.

As I have gotten more mature and have dealt with the realities of the short comings of my upbringing and then finding a way to fill the gaps in my heart, soul, and personality, I found that things that I used to be adamantly against, I now have opened my mind to understand that, I don't have to disrespect someone to not agree with them. I used to hate and be against homosexuality, until I understood, that just because that is not my way of life, does not mean that I get to hate and abuse it. 

To all the people have been evil and vicious and combative with me over the years I just want to say that I now understand that your disrespect of me was nothing more than a manifestation of how deeply you hate yourself.  

HOWEVER..............

I have come to be so much more careful of people who display blatant and ignorant disrespect.  When I read the bible story of Cain and Able, I now understand that Cain killed Able because Able took more time to praise God with more polished sensibility.  Instead of Cain saying........."let me raise my game".........he killed Able, as to cut out the competition.  Now there would be nothing to constantly remind Cain that he was mediocre in God's eyes.  And since there was no one showing Cain his mediocrity, he could now pretend that his mediocrity was excellence. 

To all of those who have personally showed me disrespect at any point in my life, I forgive you because I understand that what you were really afraid of is your own mediocrity.  I count myself as a child of Able.

Cain's hate and inferiority was not Able's problem;  but Cain's problem that he deflected out onto Able.  I just say that we need to check our disrespect, get deep down into the power source of disrespect and treat those wounds with love.  But just like Cain, many of us would rather take the easy way out...........and try to tear down everything that is a reminder of our flawed human existence.  To show respect is to show love to yourself, and a growth in your sin nature.  But as a humanity we are too busy trying tear down the beauty of everything else instead of taking the time to find the beauty within.