Respect

            How do you demonstrate respect? Many cultures have outward displays of showing respect, such as; bowing, keeping your head lower than another, taking off your shoes or keeping a couple steps behind another. The USA doesn’t have any distinct tradition, it seems the best one can hope for is good manners. I daresay that we actually have an ever-growing lack of respect. In our desire to be a friendly society, a casual attitude had crept in that has pluses and minuses as well. Parents struggle to be parents in favor of being their child’s friend. Conversation is frequently peppered with coarse language. Property is being vandalized. And I’m confident you can think of many other ways you see this lack of respect in our world.

            You might be thinking, ‘Where are you going with this?’ I’m going to the house of God. In studying 1 Samuel 4- 6 we read about the treatment of the Ark of the covenant by the Philistines and Israel. The Ark (not the boat) was the presence of God Himself and was only handled by priests. Yet, it was not respected. Israel treated it like a talisman taking it into battle without consideration of God’s will. The Philistines decimated Israel and took the ark back to their camp and God destroyed their idol god, Dagon and afflicted their community with tumors. The ark was bounced around to different communities within the Philistine territory causing the same affliction of tumors before the Philistines finally decided to return the ark to Israel. Once back in Israel’s territory, Beth Shemesh, the people celebrated and offered sacrifice (I’m thinking we’re in the clear at this point) but no, curiosity got the better of seventy inhabitants and they looked into the ark (remember, it could only be handled by the priests) and they were struck dead! God wants our respect and attention people.

            So, what has that to do with us today? Consider the behavior we see in church sanctuaries today. We walk in with drinks, converse loudly with others, use our phones or don’t silence them and so on. (I’m not pointing fingers, I am guilty too.) These actions are not in themselves bad things, but do they demonstrate respect for God’s house, for God Himself? Entering the sanctuary of God’s house should be a time dedicated to preparing one’s heart for worship. Perhaps, the neighbors in your row are in deep prayer and loud conversation is distracting them. Most people wouldn’t think of carrying a cup of coffee into a funeral out of respect for the dead person, yet we have no problem bringing it into worship; a time that should be dedicated to God.

            I really felt convicted as I read these scriptures. I have been in favor of the casual, friendly environment feeling that Jesus would want us to be loving and welcoming. But have we gone too far? I know, in my youth these new ways would not have been tolerated, even the modes of dress would have been challenged. Do our clothes show respect for others or even respect for self? Casual has its place, I’m just not sure it’s in the house of God.

            All that said, God loves you regardless of your coffee breath. If you have ever been in a one-way relationship you know that always being the giver is wearisome. How about giving some love and respect back to God? Let’s make our pre-worship experience a time of prayer, preparing our hearts and souls to give praise and receive His word. It isn’t hard and I’m pretty sure we can get through an hour or two without a beverage, text or Facebook check. I’m going try to be brave and leave my phone in the car; what will you do to respect God today?

            1 Samuel 6:19 “But God struck down some of the inhabitants of Beth Shemesh, putting seventy of them to death because they looked into the ark of the Lord.”