Flipping through an old journal, I found this entry that I thought was worth sharing.
I’m interested in respect. It doesn’t seem like the “church” respects individuals and their decision making process. I want to be treated with respect, not because of what I do, my “spiritual walk” or anything like that, but just because I am a child of God.
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They don’t respect me as a person, only as a tool to be used in accomplishing their mission.
Though Dave Hasz talks a lot about how much he respects the interns, Teen Mania is constantly disrespecting them in pretty much every way. Unfortunately, the respect issue is not limited only to Teen Mania. For some reason, in the Christian community, respect is a lost attribute. We, who believe that God created and loves all people should be the MOST respectful of all. Who are we to disrespect his creation?
What do I mean by respect? I mean a deep and profound appreciation for all God’s people and how he wired them individually with their needs, wants, personalities, etc. Each person’s journey is unique, each person’s relationship with God is unique and each person has the right and the responsibility to think things through for themselves and make decisions based on that and the convictions of their conscience. When we force people to act and behave in certain ways in order to be accepted as “good enough,” we violate and disrespect this fundamental God-given right. We strip them of the permission to be who God made them to be, and if it goes on long enough, we strip them of their ability to even be or know themselves.
That ain’t right.