I hope everyone has been having a good week. So much has happened for me this past week and the one item that really stuck with me is something that I experienced just the other day. Have you ever thought about how you treat others? Do you treat your friends, co workers, family, or significant other with respect? Is this respect at all times or only in particular situations?
Trust me I understand it is hard sometimes to treat other's with respect. It is hard to go against the grain with the way that the world says you should treat others. Unfortunately, I am seeing this more often than not. That disrespect pushes people to that edge where they may turn to drinking, drugs, or slip into a depression. People turn around and start to beat themselves up for the mistakes they have made in their life. They get upset at the weight they are or the situation they may be in. Have you ever turned this around and thought about how you would feel if people were treating you the way you treated others? This is very difficult to do as you get caught in the moment of people laughing a lot of the time because they don't know what else to do. Is that the person you want to be remembered as? Think about the way the world starts to view Christians. I just got done reading the new book by Kirk Cousins the quarterback of the Washington Redskins and he said it in a way that I never thought of. Here is a paraphrase of the words that he wrote. When you are a Christian you are putting on the jersey of God. Just like any sports team this jersey has the team name (Jesus, Christian, God) on the front and your last name on the back. When you look back at your day are your actions representing that name on the front in the best way possible? What about the name on the back? Are you leaving the legacy that you want?
Each one of us no matter our education, physical attributes, or family history can leave a lasting impression on thousands of people during our life. Think about the amount of people you come in contact with in one day. Do you smile at them, say hello, hold a door for them, or encourage them? Having a positive attitude and representing that name on the front could change someone's day. Maybe your smile to one person will turn into a smile for another and everything begins to multiply. It doesn't have to be anything crazy but showing others you respect them and that they are special.
I struggle with these items each and every day. I have noticed by starting my day in God and listening to Christian music throughout the day allow me to be more positive and build others up. That necessarily won't work for you but I challenge you to go out and find what will get you focused on God and respecting others. I want to challenge you this week and think about putting the jersey of Christianity on each day. Remember the name that you have on your chest with your actions throughout the day and the way to talk to others. If you see someone disrespecting another stand up and put an end to it. If we show respect to all those we meet in our lives we can make a change in this nation and truly show that Christianity is more than what people see from the outside.
1 Timothy 4:12
New International Version (NIV)
12 Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity.
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