R FACTOR

RESPECT

Jesus took off robe, wrapped a towel around himself and he washed the disciples feet.

R is the next important part of spelling LOVE as God would spell it.

C = Commitment.  A= Acceptance and R = Respect

Jesus set the best example of giving respect to those whom HE loves when he stepped down from His Rabbinical Role, put on slaves garments, bowed in front of each of the disciples and washed their smelly & dirty feet.  Here is another example of THE Chief Lover of the universe demonstrating leadership by example:   He loved by living servant leadership.  He respected those whom He loves by serving them.

This is what Aretha Franklin sang about.... getting respect.

Loving someone is more than getting my rights or you your rights.  Its about loving enough to give up my rights to serve the other person or persons to whom you are demonstrating love.  The Ephesians passages that gets so abused says this clearly.  Folks begin, for example, in Ephesians 5 in the verse that precedes instructs wives need "to submit."  The problem is they miss the verse that truly begins the discussion:  This verse says "Submit to one another out of reverence to Christ. Then the wives way of serving is mentioned. The husband's way of serving is mentioned, and the children's way of serving is mentioned.  Each role is clearly different.  Each role requires each one to give up rights to love someone. Each requires the wife, husband and children to serve one another.  Or to put it another way.  Each one is to give respect.

Giving up self for the sake of others is key here:  Self centered doing it "my way" causes love to die.  Ego centric rights seeking throws a wet blanket on the relationship (s).  Selfish sayings that indicate, "I will do for you, but you have to do for me first" misses the whole point. Giving to take... love does not make.  Putting the other down to manipulate them to come around is foreign to our Lord's example and what God expects of us.  God is love, and God showed us R-E-S-P-E-C-T to show us love.

If you want to love with  a love that will live until you die, you will give respect.

Y'all be blessed today.

SoJourner