Young People's Group

LEARNING TO PAY RESPECT

by Pastor Mitch
February 14, 2010

Paying Of Respect During Chinese New Year

Every Lunar New Year, Chinese people all over the world will go and visit the oldest in the family and to pay their respect to them. This tradition has been passed down from one generation to another. The world recognises how important it is to be respectful to their elders. The Bible also teaches the concept of showing honour to our elders and to each other. In this day and age, where respect for our elders seems to be waning, our challenge is to continue to practise this Biblical principle of life.

Two Ways To Pay Respect

There are two ways by which we can do this.

1. To Respect Fellow Christians

“Do not rebuke an older man, but exhort him as a father, younger men as brothers, older women as mothers, younger women as sisters, with all purity.” 
1 Timothy 5:1

Paul exhorted Timothy to show proper regard and respect to members of the Church family. When he related to an older Christian man, he is not to rebuke him. Instead, he is to exhort him as a father. It is vital that younger Christians learn to respect all older Christians. The older women are to be seen as “mothers”. The younger men are to be regarded as our own brothers. We are to relate to younger women as sisters with all purity of heart. It is crucial that we demonstrate the highest regard and respect for fellow Christians.

2. To Show Filial Piety At Home

“But if any widow has children or grandchildren, let them first learn to show piety at home and to repay their parents” 
1 Timothy 5:4

Paul also taught Timothy that if there was a situation where a widow needed to be looked after, the children or grandchildren must first do their part to help. They must learn to show filial piety to her. They must learn to repay what their parents had given them. Christians must also learn to show filial piety. We are meant to honour our parents and grandparents by caring for them in their hour of need.

A Good And Acceptable Practice

“For this is good and acceptable before God.” 
1 Timothy 5:4

God considered such practices of respect as good and acceptable in His sight. When we honour our elders and each other, the Lord will approve of it. The Lord God is omnipresent and He knows what is in our hearts. Let’s be even more conscious of Him as we go visiting during Chinese New Year. Before Him and in His house, let’s always seek to be respectful to our elders and show honour to each other.

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