Respect: Have you eaten your slice of humble pie today?

I’m pretty sure, and someone can correct me if I’m wrong, but Galileo proved that the earth revolves around the sun. Why is it that some people think that the world revolves around them? Now, I’m not going to start ranting and raving but instead, I am going to simply remind everyone that we need to be respectful of others here on campus and take care of the facilities that we have been provided.
Respect. Oxford Online Dictionary defines the noun form of the word as “1. a feeling of admiration for someone because of their qualities or achievements, 2. due regard for the feelings or rights of others,” and the verb form as “1. to feel or have respect for, 2. avoid harming or interfering with, 3. agree to recognize and abide by.”

It’s such a small word, but it carries a big challenge: stop, eat a slice of humble pie and question whether or not the action you are about to take will show respect to those around you.
After living in our little community here at Milligan for four years I have come to realize that some people have never been taught what respect is. Being respectful isn’t hard but requires one to think before taking action. Here are some simple suggestions, based on the definition above, for showing respect here at Milligan.

“Due regard for the feelings or rights of others.” Park in your designated parking lot. Boys with blue stickers need to park in front of their dorm. Girls with red stickers need to park in front of their dorm. Freshmen with yellow stickers need to keep their cars parked behind their respective dorms. I don’t understand why it is so difficult for some boys to walk up the hill to eat in the cafeteria. Enjoy being outside and get a little exercise. It’s good for you. I know I am not alone in expressing my frustration in finding cars with little blue stickers in the Sutton lot.

“To feel or have respect for, agree to recognize and abide by.” If you use any college facility for a party or get-together, please clean up after yourself. It isn’t fun cleaning up after a large group of people who leave cake, soda, plates and trash everywhere. Didn’t your mom teach you how to pick up after yourself? My mom did. It’s simply respecting the property of someone else. Would you go into a stranger’s house, have a party and then leave them all your junk to clean? I’d hope not. Taking care of your property and other’s property is a very simple way to show respect. It recognizes that you have been blessed and are willing to treat that space with the utmost respect.

“A feeling of admiration for someone because of their qualities or achievements.” Attending chapel and convocation should be a time to show respect for God and for those who are speaking. Attendance is required and isn’t necessarily what everyone wants, but nevertheless, we have to be there. I think I was most embarrassed this semester when Claudia Stevens, “An Evening with Madame F,” came and shared her amazing talents with us, and my fellow classmates thought it was funny to let their cell phones ring. Not just once but twice. How rude! And why is it funny to set alarm clocks to go off during SGA elections? Had I been giving a speech during that commotion I would have been mortified. Would you have been able to gather your thoughts clearly if you had been giving a speech?

Every week I sit in chapel and watch people sleep, play games on cell phones, study or talk to their neighbor. Chapel is the one time a week we have built into our schedules to sit in the presence of God and some don’t take advantage of that. Chapel needs to be a time where we respect the talents of those who are leading us in worship and expect that God will touch our hearts with the message.

In Philippians 2:3-4, Paul reminds us to be respectful. “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests but also the interests of others.” The very next line states that our attitude should reflect that of Christ Jesus. If you call yourself a Christian, then examine your attitude in the mirror. Does it reflect Christ? Do your actions reflect selfish thoughts or do you consider the interests of others before you do something?

I think that we all need this reminder, myself included. It is easy to get caught up in a world that is so consumed with pleasing every selfish desire that crosses our minds. But it is also easy to be consumed with the thoughts of being like Christ; it might just take a little extra energy. In the remaining days of the semester, bear in mind the interests of others, respect those around you and seek to find the attitude of Christ which reflects humility, servanthood and love.

With my four years quickly coming to an end, I leave you with the words of Paul from 2 Corinthians 13:14. “May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.”