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“Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves.” – Romans 12:10, NIV
Treating others with dignity and respect entails treating others as worthy. Sometimes Christians may be perceived as judgmental or hypocritical by people with different beliefs. This is one reason it is important to honor others and not look down on anyone — so others can see a good witness for Christ, and we do not contribute to a bad reputation for the Christian faith.
The Bible encourages us to honor others above ourselves and to love one another. Treating others with respect and dignity is an excellent way to show that love.
Billions of people live on Earth today, each created by God with a unique story. At times, it is easy to forget that each person we encounter in our day-to-day lives is God’s handiwork and deserves to be treated with love, dignity and respect.
“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” – John 13:34-35, NIV
Knowing that we are all made in the image of God should prompt us to see value in others. God calls us to love one another. Seeing value in everyone is not the same as agreeing or being best friends with everyone. Instead, it means showing all people the love of Christ through what we do and how we treat them.
Each person brings value to the world and to God’s kingdom. We all have purpose, and we should treat all people mindfully and with great respect because God has deemed them of value.
“So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.” – Genesis 1:27, NIV
God created humans in His image. We have the distinction of being designed on the model of our creator and Lord. As such, we are treasured by Him. As Christians, we should take note that those around us are also made in the image of God. That person in line at the grocery store, that face on social media, that server at dinner — all are made in God’s image, and God cherishes them all. They are all human beings and creations of God.
“There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work.” – 1 Corinthians 12:4-6, NIV
We all have different skills and talents given to us by God. Each of these skills and talents is important in the world and in the church. Part of treating others with respect is being able to appreciate their talents and skills. Everyone brings something to the table. For example, some people might shine when speaking in front of a crowd, while others may dread being in front of a large group of people but know how to hold a good one-on-one. One person might have artistic abilities that can be used for good in the church, while someone else might be skilled at planning and organizing.
1 Corinthians 12:6 says, “There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work.” God can use all our talents and skills to serve His will and His kingdom. Accordingly, we should respect the talents of other individuals and not pride ourselves on surpassing others because of our own skills.
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