RESPECT 4 - Respect the position, even if the person hasn't earned respect!

Respect 4 - English file 

Respekt 4 - German file

Devotional Thoughts about Acts 23:1-5

Fellow Jews had opposed Paul in nearly every city of Asia Minor and Europe where he had preached the gospel, starting riots and sometimes almost killing him. But now he was headed straight back to Jerusalem, the center of Judaism, and along with the prophets who had warned him, he had no doubt that big trouble was awaiting him there (20:22,23).

Sure enough, it wasn’t long before some Jews from Asia began a riot and wanted to kill Paul, but Roman authorities intervened and arrested him. The next day the chief priests and their council were called to make accusations, and Paul was able to address them. But he wasn't able to get out more than a sentence before the high priest ordered that he be slapped! The text doesn’t say whether this was actually carried out, but Paul’s agitated reaction leads to that assumption. It must have been painful and humiliating.

As Paul had been away for years, perhaps he didn’t know the current high priest, whose clothing may not have differentiated him from the other chief priests. Lacking this information, Paul reacted instinctively to this unprovoked attack and was then ashamed once he was filled in. His prompt quotation of the Exodus passage shows how deeply respect for authority was ingrained in him.

In modern Western culture, respect has been undermined to the extent that many young people don’t seem to even know what it is. It needs to be modeled and taught now more than ever. Lord, help me to show respect for others and especially for those in responsible positions.

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