Show Respect for People

1. Why we de happy when them show us respect? (Proverbs 22:1)

YOU de like-am when other people show you respect? We dey sure say you de like-am. Respect na something wey everybody need. The truth be say, e de really make us happy when other people respect us. Na this one make Bible talk say “for people to respect you better pass silver and gold.”—Read Proverbs 22:1.

2-3. (a) Why e no dey easy for us to show respect to other people sometimes? (b) Wetin we go learn for this article?

² Sometimes, e fit no easy to respect other people. One reason na because we de see the mistake of other people. Another thing na say, we de live for time wey people around us no de show respect. But we need to dey different. Why? Because Jehovah want make we honor or show respect to “all kind of people.”—1 Pet. 2:17.

³ For this article, we go talk about wetin e mean to respect other people and how we fit show respect to (1) our family members, (2) brothers and sisters for congregation, and (3) people wey no de worship Jehovah. We go still talk about how we fit show respect to other people even when e no easy for us to show them respect.

WETIN E MEAN TO RESPECT OTHER PEOPLE?

4. Wetin e mean to respect other people?

⁴ Wetin e mean to respect person? Connection dey between to respect person and to honor person. Why we talk like that? To “respect” person mean say we de see the person for better way for our mind. E fit be say we de see the person like that because of im better-better character, the things wey e don do, or the position wey e get. But to “honor” person mean to treat the person for better way. When we honor person, we go treat-am for better way wey go make-am know say we value-am, say we happy with something wey e do, and say e dey important to us. If the things wey we de do to show say we honor person come from our heart, e mean say we no de pretend.—Matt. 15:8.

5. Wetin fit help us to de show respect to other people?

⁵ Jehovah want make we show respect to other people. For example, e tell us make we de show respect to “high authorities wey de rule.” (Rom. 13:1, 7) But some people de talk say, “I ready to show other people respect so far say them de behave well.” But e correct to de think like this? As people wey de worship Jehovah, we know say we no de respect people just because of how them de behave. But we de respect them because we love Jehovah, and we want make-am happy.—Josh. 4:14; 1 Pet. 3:15.

6. E dey possible to respect person wey no de respect you? Explain. (Still check the picture.)

⁶ Some people fit de ask theirself say, ‘E dey possible to respect person wey no de respect me?’ Yes, e dey possible. Make we see some example. King Saul talk to im pikin Jonathan for harsh way for front of other people. (1 Sam. 20:​30-34) Even with this one, Jonathan continue to respect im papa wey be king and join-am fight for war until the day wey im papa die. (Ex. 20:12; 2 Sam. 1:23) Eli wey be high priest accuse Hannah say e dey drunk. (1 Sam. 1:​12-14) But Hannah talk to Eli with respect even though say everybody for Israel know say Eli no be better papa and high priest because e no de correct im sons for the bad things wey them de do. (1 Sam. 1:​15-18; 2:​22-24) Another example na apostle Paul. Some people for Athens insult-am and talk say e be person wey like to de “talk-talk.” (Acts 17:18) Even with all this one, apostle Paul still talk to them with respect. (Acts 17:22) All this example show say if we get deep love for Jehovah and we really want make-am happy, this one go move us to show respect to other people even when e no dey easy to do-am. Now, make we talk about which people we suppose respect and why.

SHOW RESPECT FOR YOUR FAMILY MEMBERS

7. Which things fit make-am hard for us to show respect for our family members?

⁷ Wetin fit make-am hard for us to respect our family members? We de spend plenty time with our family members. Because of this one, we know their better-better character and their mistakes. E fit be say some of them get some kind serious sickness wey de make-am hard for person to fit care for them. Or e fit be say them de overworry about many things. And sometimes, some of our family people de talk or do things wey de pain us. Instead of some people to make peace dey their house, them de cause plenty problem as them no de show respect to their family members for the way them de treat them. Because of this one, problem de always dey the family. We fit compare our family to person body. If person get serious sickness, im body no go work well. Na so e still be for family, if family members no de show respect to each other, problems go dey for the family. But just as e dey possible to treat many sickness, e dey possible for family members to learn to show respect to each other.

8. Why e dey important for us to show respect for our family members? (1 Timothy 5:4, 8)

⁸ Why we suppose show respect for our family members? (Read 1 Timothy 5:4, 8.) For the first letter wey apostle Paul write to Timothy, e talk how family members suppose care for each other. E talk say the main reason why we suppose honor our family members and show them respect na because we want do “wetin God want,” no be just because we want do wetin we suppose do. This one mean say we go show respect to our family members because we love Jehovah and we know say to respect our family members na part of our worship to Jehovah. Na Jehovah create family. (Eph. 3:​14, 15) So when we show respect to our family members and honor them, we de show respect to Jehovah, wey be the Person wey start family. (Check study note for 1 Timothy 5:4 for nwsty.) This one na important reason to show respect to our family members.

9. How husband and wife fit show respect for each other? (Still check the picture.)

⁹ How we fit show our family members respect? Husband wey de honor im wife de treat-am well when them dey alone and when them dey with other people. (Prov. 31:28; 1 Pet. 3:7) E no go ever beat im wife, disgrace-am, or make-am feel say e no dey important. One brother for Argentina wey im name na Ariela talk say: “Because of the sickness wey my wife get, sometimes e de talk things wey de pain me. When e happen like this, I de remind myself say e no really mean wetin e talk. And I de try remember wetin dey 1 Corinthians 13:5. This one de help me no vex for-am and I de fit talk to-am with respect.” (Prov. 19:11) Wife fit show say e de honor im husband if e de tell other people better things about im husband. (Eph. 5:33) E no de talk to im husband for harsh way, use im husband do yeye, and e no de insult im husband. E know say if e do this kind things, e fit destroy their marriage. (Prov. 14:1) One sister for Italy wey im husband de overworry about things talk say: “Sometimes, I de feel say my husband de overworry about many things wey e no suppose worry about. Before, the way I de talk to-am and even the way I de do my face when e do some kind things de show say I no get respect for-am. But I notice say when I de spend time with people wey de talk about other people with respect, this one de move me to show respect to my husband.”

10. How young people fit show say them de respect their papa and mama?

¹⁰ Children, make una de obey the laws wey una papa and mama de give una. (Eph. 6:​1-3) Talk to your papa and mama with respect. (Ex. 21:17) As your papa and mama de old, you go need to care for them more. If you do your best to care for them, this one go show say you de respect them. Make we talk about the example of one sister wey im name na María. Im papa no be Jehovah Witness. When María papa start to sick, e no easy for María to care for-am because im papa de treat-am for bad way. Sister María talk say: “I pray to Jehovah make e help me fit respect my papa, and to fit really show-am say I respect-am. I tell myself say because na Jehovah tell me to honor my papa and mama and respect them, e go fit help me do-am. Now, I don understand say I need to continue to honor and respect my papa, even if e continue to treat me for bad way.” When we de show respect for our family members even when e no easy, we de show say we respect Jehovah because na im create family.

SHOW RESPECT FOR BROTHERS AND SISTERS FOR CONGREGATION

11. Why e fit no easy for us to show our brothers and sisters respect?

¹¹ Wetin fit make-am hard for us to show respect to our brothers and sisters for congregation? Our brothers and sisters de try their best to live the way Jehovah want. But sometimes, them fit no treat us for kind way, them fit think bad things about us, or do wetin go make us vex. If we get “reason to complain” because of wetin our brothers or sisters do, e fit make-am hard for us to forgive them. (Col. 3:13) But wetin go fit help us continue to de show them respect?

12. Why e dey important make we de show respect for our brothers and sisters? (2 Peter 2:​9-12)

¹² Why we need to show our brothers and sisters respect? (Read 2 Peter 2:​9-12.) For the second letter wey apostle Peter write, e talk about some Christians wey de talk anyhow about “people wey God honor.” This people na elders for congregation. Jehovah angels see wetin this people de do. So wetin the angels do? “Because of the respect wey the angels get for Jehovah,” them no talk any bad thing about this people. Just think-am! Angels wey dey perfect no talk any bad thing about this people. Instead, them leave the matter for Jehovah hand make e judge them. (Rom. 14:​10-12; compare Jude 9.) We fit learn from the angels. If angels wey dey perfect no talk any bad thing about people wey no de respect the elders, we no get any right to talk bad about our brothers and sisters. Instead, we suppose do our best to show them honor and respect. (Rom. 12:10) If we de do like this, e go show say we respect Jehovah.

13-14. How we fit show respect for our brothers and sisters for congregation? Give example. (Still check the picture.)

¹³ How we fit show respect for our brothers and sisters? Elders, when una de teach, make una de do-am with love. (Philem. 8, 9) And if you need to give person advice, do-am for kind way, and no do-am when you de vex. Sisters, una go fit make everybody for congregation to de show respect to each other if una no de gossip or talk bad about other people. (Titus 2:​3-5) All of us fit show say we de respect elders for congregation if we de cooperate with them, and show say we de value the work wey them de do. For example, them de do many things to help us enjoy meeting, arrange the way we de preach, and help people wey “make mistake.”—Gal. 6:1; 1 Tim. 5:17.

¹⁴ One sister wey im name na Rocío talk say e get one time wey e no easy for-am to respect one elder wey give-am advice. The sister talk say: “I vex because I feel say the brother no talk to me for kind way. When I dey house, I de talk bad things about the brother. I try to pretend like say everything dey okay, but for my heart, I feel say e no really care about me, so I no follow the advice.” Wetin help Sister Rocío? Sister Rocío talk say: “For my Bible reading, I read 1 Thessalonians 5:​12, 13. When I notice say I no de respect this brother, my mind come de judge me. I pray to Jehovah and do research for our books to find things wey fit help me change the way I de behave. I come see say no be the brother get problem. Instead, na me be the problem because I de carry body up. Now, I know say if I no de carry body down, e go hard for me to respect other people. I still de work hard to show respect to other people more, and I know say Jehovah de happy with me as e de see say I de continue to try my best.”

SHOW RESPECT TO PEOPLE WEY NO DE WORSHIP JEHOVAH

15. Why e fit hard us to show respect to people wey no de worship Jehovah?

¹⁵ Wetin fit make-am hard for us to respect people wey no de worship Jehovah? Sometimes, when we de preach, we de meet people wey no care about God or Bible. (Eph. 4:18) Some of them no de want listen to our message because of wetin them don teach them since the time wey them dey young. Some people wey we de work with or go school with fit de treat us for bad way. Or e fit be say our teacher for school or our oga for work no de value wetin we de do. E fit happen say after some time, we go stop to de respect this people or treat them for kind way.

16. Why e dey important to show respect to people wey never start to worship Jehovah? (1 Peter 2:12; 3:15)

¹⁶ Why we need to show respect to people wey no de worship Jehovah? Remember say Jehovah de see how we de treat people wey never start to de worship-am. Apostle Peter remind Christians say their better-better character fit make other people start to praise God. This one make-am tell them say when them want defend wetin them believe, make them do-am with “cool mind and deep respect.” (Read 1 Peter 2:12; 3:15.) We need to show love everytime, whether we de preach to our neighbors or we de defend our faith for court. No forget say Jehovah de see us and e de listen to wetin we de talk and how we de talk-am. This na better reason to show love to people wey no de serve Jehovah.

17. How we fit show respect to people wey no de serve Jehovah?

¹⁷ How we fit show respect to people wey no de worship Jehovah? When we dey preaching, make we no make people feel say them no be anything because we know Bible pass them. Instead, make we de see them as people wey dey important to Jehovah and say we no better pass them. (Hag. 2:7; Phil. 2:3) If person talk to you anyhow because of wetin you believe, no do-am back. Make we no talk anything wey go be like say e funny, but wey go vex the person wey we de talk to. (1 Pet. 2:23) If you talk something wey you no suppose talk, no waste time to talk sorry. How you fit show respect to people wey you de work with? Make you dey serious with your work and de behave well to your oga and to people wey una de work together. (Titus 2:9, 10) When you dey serious for your work and you no de do wayo, some people fit happy with you, and other people fit no happy with you. But the truth be say, Jehovah go dey happy with you.—Col. 3:​22, 23.

18. Why e good make we get respect for other people and show them say we respect them?

¹⁸ We get plenty reasons to get respect for other people and to show them say we respect them. We don learn say when we show respect to people for our family, we de show respect to Jehovah wey be the Person wey start family. We don still learn say when we show respect to our brothers and sisters for congregation, we de honor Jehovah. We still learn say when we show respect to people wey no de worship Jehovah, we fit make-am easy for them to honor Jehovah one day. Make we remember say even if some people no de respect us, e dey important for us to show respect to them. If we do like this, Jehovah go really bless us. In fact, e even promise say: “Na people wey de honor me I go honor.”—1 Sam. 2:30.