Galatians 4:14 - "Sock it to me, sock it to me, sock it to me, sock it to me..."

"... and the temptation of you in the flesh of me you did not despise nor reject, but rather as an angel of God you received me, as Christ Jesus."

-When he first came to Galatia, the people there received him as an angel, Paul says.  Like a literal messenger of God, one who was speaking for Him.  We know for a fact that at one point, the citizens of Lystra actually were calling Paul "Hermes", who was the messenger of the Greek gods (Acts 14.8-18).  But so distinguished was his reception among the Galatians (among those who believed at least), that there was not the least hint of disrespect.  Just the oppposite.  They didn't know him, at least not by face.  And he was even sick when he showed up.  They could have blown him off or turned him away, but no.  They did not look down on him or reject him in the least.  They welcomed him and took him in, and they listened to his message.  They not only listened to it - they believed it.  They believed him.  Paul even goes so far as to say that they received him as if he was an angel.  As if he was Jesus.  Now that's respect.  And that's what they showed him.

-Respect would appear to be in rather short supply in our day.  Messengers and leaders alike are criticized, summarily tuned out.  Strangers are ignored altogether - or we lash out at them at the slightest provocation.  It is selfishness and pride infused with a layer of low-grade anger and fueled by a rather pervasive sense of disillusionment and mistrust (some of which has certainly been earned).  This spirit of disrespect (2Peter 2:10, Jude 8) is certainly symptomatic of a culture which increasingly turns its back on the One Who is the Supreme Authority in the universe and is deserving of all glory and honor and respect (Jude 25).  Respect is defined as a feeling of deep admiration, and understandably it can be rather rare for a leader or a messenger (or anyone for that matter) to instill such feelings in others, particularly in those who don't know him or her.

-But the truth is, that God in His sovereignty positions people over us (Colossians 1:16, Romans 13.1), and simply by virtue of the fact that God has put them there, they are deserving of a different kind of respect (1Peter 2.13, Titus 3:1, 1Timothy 2:1-2).  Respect is so much more than a feeling.  It is attaching and extending value and honor to another individual.  This value could be based on their position or title (particularly in relation to me), it could be based on their age (particularly in relation to me), it could be based simply on the fact that they are one of God's wonderful impossibles, based on the value which they possess because they are Made in Heaven.  They are not "Made in China".  No, God Himself fashioned them and bestowed on them the gift of life (certainly this would extend to all of life on God's green earth, God's creation - over which He has made us stewards, caretakers).  This value would extend particularly to the man or woman or child who actually bear God's image.  That simple fact makes them - all my fellow humans - deserving of being treated as valuable.  R-E-S-P-E-C-T.  Aretha knew how to spell it.  Sock it to me, sock it to me - she wanted to get some.  May we know how to sock it to THEM, just like these Galatians.