Show Respect for Others

1. Why do humans appreciate being shown respect? (Proverbs 22:1)

DO YOU appreciate it when people show you respect? No doubt you do. Respect is a basic human need. We thrive when we receive it. No wonder the Bible says that “to be respected is better than silver and gold”!​—Read Proverbs 22:1.

2-3. What are some situations in which we ought to show respect for others?

² We may not always find it easy to show respect for others. For one thing, we cannot help but see the flaws of those around us. Also, we live at a time when it is common for people to be disrespectful. But we must be different. Why? Because Jehovah wants us to honor, or show respect for, “men of all sorts.”​—1 Pet. 2:17.

³ We can benefit from discussing what it means to respect others and how we can show it to (1) family members, (2) fellow worshippers, and (3) those outside the congregation. We will focus on how we can show respect under difficult circumstances.

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO RESPECT OTHERS?

4. What does it mean to respect others?

⁴ How would you define respect? In some languages, the words “respect” and “honor” are related. How? “Respect” refers primarily to how we view a person. When we respect others, we view them as worthy of our attention and consideration, perhaps because of their qualities, their achievements, or their position. “Honor,” though, refers to how we treat a person. When we honor others, we treat them in ways that make them feel valued, appreciated, and dignified. Of course, for honor to be genuine, it must come from the heart.​—Matt. 15:8.

5. What can help us to show respect for others?

⁵ Jehovah wants us to show respect for others; in fact, he requires it in connection with “the superior authorities.” (Rom. 13:1, 7) But some may say, “I am happy to show people respect, as long as they have earned it.” Is that reasoning sound? As servants of Jehovah, we realize that any respect we have for humans is not based solely on their actions. It is based on something deeper​—our love for Jehovah and our desire to please him.​—Josh. 4:14; 1 Pet. 3:15.

6. Is it possible to show respect for someone who does not respect you? Explain. (See also picture.)

⁶ Some may wonder, ‘Is it really possible to show respect for someone who does not treat you with respect?’ Yes. Consider some examples. King Saul humiliated his son Jonathan in front of others. (1 Sam. 20:30-34) Still, Jonathan respectfully supported his father in battle until the day Saul died. (Ex. 20:12; 2 Sam. 1:23) High Priest Eli accused Hannah of being drunk. (1 Sam. 1:12-14) Nonetheless, Hannah spoke respectfully to Eli, even though his failures both as a father and as a high priest were widely known in Israel. (1 Sam. 1:15-18; 2:22-24) And men of Athens insulted the apostle Paul, calling him a “chatterer.” (Acts 17:18) Despite this, Paul spoke respectfully to them. (Acts 17:22) It should be evident that deep love for Jehovah and a healthy fear of displeasing him can move us to show respect for others not only when it is easy but also when it is difficult. Let us discuss who deserves our respect and why.

SHOW RESPECT FOR FAMILY MEMBERS

7. What may make it difficult for us to treat family members with respect?

⁷ The challenge. We spend a lot of time with our family. As a result, we know both their strengths and their weaknesses. Some may have an illness that makes it difficult for us to care for them, or they may suffer from excessive anxiety. Others may even speak and act in ways that hurt us. Instead of trying to make their home a place of rest and peace, some create turmoil by treating family members with a lack of respect. Consequently, there is no harmony. Like arthritis that prevents body parts from working together smoothly, disrespect keeps family members from working unitedly. But unlike arthritis, which we ourselves cannot completely remedy, we can stop disrespect from crippling our family relationships.

8. Why is it important to show respect for family members? (1 Timothy 5:4, 8)

⁸ Why show respect? (Read 1 Timothy 5:4, 8.) In his first letter to Timothy, Paul discussed how family members should care for one another’s needs. He explained that our primary motive for honoring those of our household in this way should be, not out of mere duty, but out of “godly devotion.” This term refers to loyal worship and service to God. Jehovah established the family arrangement. (See study notes on 1 Timothy 5:4; Eph. 3:14, 15) So when we honor a family member, we actually honor Jehovah, the Originator of the family. What a powerful reason to show respect for family members!

9. How can a husband and a wife show respect for each other? (See also pictures.)

⁹ How to show respect. A husband who honors his wife shows both in private and in public that she is precious to him. (Prov. 31:28; 1 Pet. 3:7) He never strikes her, humiliates her, or makes her feel worthless. Ariel,a who lives in Argentina, says: “Because of my wife’s illness, she at times says things that hurt me. When this happens, I remind myself that her words do not reflect her true feelings. In tense moments, I recall 1 Corinthians 13:5, which motivates me to communicate in a respectful way rather than in a demeaning way.” (Prov. 19:11) A wife honors her husband by speaking well of him to others. (Eph. 5:33) She avoids sarcasm, mocking, and name-calling; she realizes that such conduct is the rust that corrodes a marriage. (Prov. 14:1) A sister in Italy whose husband struggles with anxiety says: “At times, I feel that my husband’s concerns are exaggerated. In the past, my words and facial expressions revealed a lack of respect for him. But I find that the more I associate with people who talk about others respectfully, the more I am moved to show respect for my husband.”

10. How can young people show that they respect their parents?

¹⁰ Young people, obey the family rules that your parents set for you. (Eph. 6:1-3) Speak respectfully to your parents. (Ex. 21:17) As they get older, your parents may need more of your attention. Do your best to care for them. Consider the example of María, whose father is not one of Jehovah’s Witnesses. When her father fell ill, he made it difficult for María to care for him. She recalls: “I prayed not only to have respect for my father but also to be able to show it. I reasoned that if Jehovah asks me to honor my parents, then logically he can give me the strength to do so. In time, I came to realize that my father does not have to change his conduct in order for me to treat him with respect.” When we honor our family members despite their failings, we prove that we respect Jehovah’s arrangement.

SHOW RESPECT FOR FELLOW WORSHIPPERS

11. Why may it be difficult to treat fellow worshippers with respect?

¹¹ The challenge. Fellow believers live by Bible standards; yet, at times some may treat us unkindly, judge us unfairly, or irritate us. If a fellow worshipper gives us “a cause for complaint,” we may struggle to continue treating him with respect. (Col. 3:13) What can help us to cope?

12. Why is it important to show respect for fellow believers? (2 Peter 2:9-12)

¹² Why show respect? (Read 2 Peter 2:9-12.) In his second inspired letter, Peter mentioned that some in the first-century Christian congregation were speaking disrespectfully about “glorious ones,” that is, Christian elders. How did the faithful angels who saw what was happening react? “Out of respect for Jehovah,” they did not utter a single abusive word against the wrongdoers. Imagine that! The perfect angels refused to speak harshly about those arrogant men. Instead, they left it to Jehovah to judge and rebuke them. (Rom. 14:10-12; compare Jude 9.) We can take a lesson from the angels. If we should not treat opposers with disrespect, how much more so should we avoid treating fellow believers with disrespect. On the contrary, we should “take the lead” in honoring them. (Rom. 12:10) Doing so shows that we respect Jehovah.

13-14. How can we show respect for those in the congregation? Give examples. (See also pictures.)

¹³ How to show respect. Elders, endeavor to instruct others on the basis of love. (Philem. 8, 9) If you need to counsel someone, do so kindly and not when you are frustrated. Sisters, you can do much to create and to protect the atmosphere of respect in the congregation by refusing to engage in negative gossip or slander. (Titus 2:3-5) All of us can show that we respect congregation elders by cooperating with them and by expressing gratitude for the hard work they do to conduct meetings, to direct the preaching work, and to help those who have taken “a false step.”​—Gal. 6:1; 1 Tim. 5:17.

¹⁴ A sister named Rocío found it difficult to respect an elder who gave her advice. “I felt that he had been hard on me,” she says. “At home, I spoke negatively about him. Although I tried not to show it, inwardly I doubted his motives and dismissed his advice.” What helped Rocío? She explains: “In my Bible reading, I came across 1 Thessalonians 5:12, 13. When I realized that I was not showing respect for this brother, my conscience began to bother me. I prayed to Jehovah and did research in our publications to find specific information that could help me adjust my attitude. I eventually realized that the problem was, not the brother, but my pride. I now understand that there is a relationship between my humility and my ability to respect others. I still need to improve, but as I strive to show respect, I feel at peace with Jehovah.”

SHOW RESPECT FOR THOSE OUTSIDE THE CONGREGATION

15. Why may we struggle to show respect for those who are not in the congregation?

¹⁵ The challenge. We often meet people in the ministry who appear to have no love for Bible truth. (Eph. 4:18) Some choose to remain ignorant because of their upbringing. We may have to contend with employers or schoolteachers who are hard to please and coworkers or schoolmates who are hard to deal with. Over time, our respect for such ones could decrease and we may fail to treat them as we would like to be treated.

16. Why is it important to show respect for those who are not yet serving Jehovah? (1 Peter 2:12; 3:15)

¹⁶ Why show respect? Remember that Jehovah pays attention to how we treat unbelievers. The apostle Peter reminded Christians that their fine conduct might move some to “glorify God.” For that reason, he admonished them to make a defense of their faith “with a mild temper and deep respect.” (Read 1 Peter 2:12; 3:15.) Whether standing trial for their faith or defending their beliefs while in conversation with a neighbor, Christians were to treat unbelievers just as they would if they were in the presence of God. After all, Jehovah is watching and listening to what we say and how we say it. What a powerful reason to treat those outside the congregation with respect!

17. How can we show respect for those outside the congregation?

¹⁷ How to show respect. While in the ministry, we never want to give the impression that we look down on those who have little or no Bible knowledge. Instead, we want to consider others as both precious to God and superior to us. (Hag. 2:7; Phil. 2:3) If someone insults you for your beliefs, resist the urge to retaliate, such as by using witty but sarcastic speech. (1 Pet. 2:23) If you do say something you regret, apologize immediately. How can you show respect for those at work? Be a conscientious worker and try to cultivate a good attitude toward those you work with and those you work for. (Titus 2:9, 10) When you are an honest, diligent, and whole-souled worker, you may or may not always please men but you will definitely please God.​—Col. 3:22, 23.

18. Why is it worthwhile to cultivate and show respect for others?

¹⁸ What good reasons we have to cultivate and show respect for others! We have seen that when we show respect for our family, we honor our family Head, Jehovah. Likewise, when we show respect for our spiritual brothers and sisters, we honor our heavenly Father. And when we show respect for those outside the congregation, we create the best possible circumstances for them to glorify, or honor, our great God. Even if we never receive respect in return from some humans, it will be worthwhile to cultivate and show respect for them. Why? Because Jehovah will bless us. He promises: “Those honoring me I will honor.”​—1 Sam. 2:30.