Do we know what this word means? No I mean really know? The dictionary defines it as "deep respect for someone or something". That's easy. If we really know it then we show it right? My heart is so heavy for this generation. I feel that we have done this generation of young adults & teenagers a disservice. We have not taught respect & have certainly not taught reverence.
When it is funny to make such fun of the person who holds the highest position of authority in our country, I think we are in serious trouble. I'm not saying agree blindly with everything that our leaders say. I'm not even saying agree. I am however saying R-E-S-P-E-C-T. (Yes Aretha is singing in my head.) If we don't teach respect we certainly can't teach reverence.
When my children were little one came home & said holy cow or something like that. I know no biggie, but I wanted so badly to teach respect that I didn't allow that. We sat down & I explained that God is so Holy & deserves so much respect from us that we don't use the word Holy unless we are showing respect to God. They seemed to understand in their 4 & 5 year old minds. A few days later a girl in our office said holy cow or something like it. I over heard Cori saying "Oh no we don't say Holy unless we're spectin God." Ok so I had to explain to my secretary that spectin meant respecting not expecting & I had to explain to my 5 year old that we don't correct grown ups, but I know that my 5 year old got it. She still at 13 doesn't say Holy unless she's spectin God.
I'm afraid our generation has not only lost a sense of awe and reverence, but we've made God common or worse yet, we are irreverent. Sadly, we believers have become accustomed to this as well. I've heard preachers say O my God or Bless God in ways that were less than reverent. Don't even let me get started on the blasphemous way Rev Jeremiah Wright speaks from the pulpit using God's Holy name in vain. Don't even for a minute think he is the only preacher spewing hate from the pulpit.
How do we teach respect & reverence? We show it. We don't laugh at irreverent jokes. We don't say irreverent things. We don't use God's name in anyway less than Holy. We don't even abbreviate OMG when texting. If we show our children respect, & show them by example how to respect others they will understand how to show respect. (Yes, I still say mam & sir to my Grandparents & people older than me & my children say Mam & Sir.) If we show reverence to God & teach our children what reverence is they will be a generation who understands, really understands reverence. Old fashioned? I don't care! From the looks of things this country could use some old fashioned values.
We'd all be well advised to remember the thundering awesomeness of our God daily. Bowing our heads in reverence as we pray not out of tradition. Taking care not to use His name lightly or even slang derivations of it such as Gosh, Jeesh, Golly or the like. Praying personally to the Lord and not to whomever is listening. (Have you ever wondered why a lot of Christians publicly pray in Old English as in using a lot of thous and loveths and verilys?) Stopping and thinking about what we are going to say and to Whom we are speaking before we pray. Asking people who feel comfortable verbally maligning our Savior in our presence to stop abusing His name. Turning off a TV show or walking out of movie that makes light of God.
Standing in reverence is not legalistic.
It is acknowledging that He is the great I Am and that-we are not.
(The text in green is taken from Pastor Dan Burrell's blog Whirled Views. Thank you Pastor Burell.)
