Marriage / Personal Growth

Respect and Honor are out of Date

Proverbs 13:13 Whoever scorns instruction will pay for it, but whoever respects a command is rewarded.                                           

Often when considered Honor and respect along with the words Christian and Husband this does not bring up pleasant thoughts. When considering Honor and respect, young women will say “are you wanting to be a stepping stone for someone?”  Even among the young Christian women. Young Women today are led to believe they will lose something of themselves if they practice honor and respect of your husband. The truth, however, is as a woman you became stronger through honor and respect.  

Passion is seldom the end of any story, for it cannot long endure if it is not soon supplemented with true affection and mutual respect.

Kathryn L. Nelson, Pemberley Manor, 2006

Perspective is Everything

Let’s put this in perspective. Let’s take the Husband out of the equation for a moment. If I tell you I honor Visa there is no negative connotation to this statement for anyone unless you don’t have Visa in your wallet. Right? If you see this sign in a window of a store you know that your Visa card can be used, it has value to this store owner.  To be respected would mean you have value. You mean something to someone. We all want to have value to someone. A spanish proverb says it well. If you want to be respected, you must respect yourself. Specifically, to the person, we have chosen to spend the rest of our lives with.

Respect in Use

Respect is a lot like honor. Respect in the verb form is to admire someone. Or we can say appreciate something or someone. I can recognize the value or even adore something or someone. Notice I have used several synonyms of the word respect in the previous sentences. And somehow thy don’t bring the same negative ideas to mind. I don’t know about you, but for me I want to be adored I want to feel recognized.  You can adhere to, abide by, be awed by, be kind to, pay attention to, set store by, and you have just done respect. How about if someone has a high opinion of you or has respect for you. In action: Honor means accept him. (Psalms 45:11 Proverbs 31:10, Proverbs 31:27, Proverbs 31:28) Accept him for who he is. Don’t attempt or try to change him.

Respect a man, he will do the more.

James Howell

Facebook Poll

I recently posted on FB how do you feel about respect and Honor and there was a lot of different feelings some people thought it was old fashioned, and some said it was not taught enough to the younger generation. One woman told me you would have to be subservient to your husband, and that it will work if you’re a very highly dogmatic bound Christian woman. Respect has little to do with being a Christian. However, respect is made easier because of a relationship with Christ. Proverbs 31:23 Her husband is respected at the city gate, where he takes his seat among the elders of the land.

Just Think

The thing is you don’t have to be old fashioned or Christian to value the feelings that you get when you are respected or honored, and if you are a married woman or plan on being one then just think how nice it would be to receive this kind of treatment. Also, think just how likely you would want to be the best you can be. In my tips to honor your husband there is a point about reflecting his success, how hard would it be to follow that point? I shouldn’t think it would be too difficult to do this part of respect.

Respecting your Spouse

There is a couple in my family who have been married for some time but there is no respect or love for each other. Everyday communication and comments to each other are laced with disdain for one another. They certainly never do the # 2 rule for honoring your Husband. The rule of Kindness and forgivingness. This couple has years of unforgiveness that affects their every action and responses to each other.  
In Action: Specifically, after a fight chose to make your spouses favorite meal, or take your spouse to their favorite restaurant. This action takes an effort and a lot of swallowing your pride.

What to Do

Please make a comment below and let me know your opinion on the subject of respect and honor. Also, Click Here to request you copy of 9 tips to honor your Husband if you have not already done so. 1 Peter 2:17 Show proper respect to everyone, love the family of believers, fear God, honor the emperor.

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