In the light of Friendship as requested…….
Today I want to talk about two things merged into one. I want to talk about “sent ones” and honor these people.
I know using the term Sent Ones is a little mystic but I couldn’t think of any other way to put it, pardon me, I don’t have a degree in English.
I like to think of sent ones as people who God just puts in our lives to help us through our journey. These people favor us, assists us, bless us, guide us etc, and what blows my mind from time to time is that those who God has sent to you, you did absolutely nothing to merit that relationship, it’s just a blessing.
Our sent one can be older, the same age, or younger, does it really matter? But I am someone who truly values relationships, so I like to honor people regardless.
This brings me to the honoring aspect, before I get to the train of thought of what got me here, I want to talk about honoring people in general regardless of who they are.
1. Honoring Those Above Us: This includes our parents, older people around us, our leaders, or our boss. Sometimes, we don’t like some of these people, but just cause you don’t like someone or they hurt you doesn’t mean you shouldn’t honor them. When someone has been placed in a position of authority over you, it demands respect and honor from you. Because at that point you should look past the man but at the place he holds in your life instead.
Also, Looking up with reverence and admiration to those who have achieved greatness before us is a testament to our humility. We get to from the wisdom of our mentors and predecessors, and that allows us to avoid the pitfalls they encountered and benefit from their experiences. The least we can do in return is to come from an angle of honor.
2. Honoring Our Contemporaries: Embracing a culture of mutual respect and appreciation for our peers is not talked about enough. Just cause they are our ‘Gees’ doesn’t mean we shouldn’t give them. The respect they deserve. This can come in any form or shape, from appreciation to intentionality, caring about what they care about, etc
3. Honoring Those Younger Than Us / Subordinate: well, this one is naturally a three legged table because our culture and society almost makes it easy for the younger person to be cheated or abuse, but we should extend as much respect to these people as well. We live in an African setting where age is everything and that is important, I am not disputing that, but we can all agree that we have all fallen victim to an elderly person who tried to use the veto power of their age over us one way or the other. We definitely do not want to be like these people.
Remember what they say that one does not demand respect, you earn it. And it goes both ways as well. Of course, we should honor those older than us but we need to pay close attention so that we don’t become those people we complain about, so those coming after us don’t suffer the same Faith. Just because somebody is younger than you, or is not on the same level as you doesn’t mean that can’t honor them, person. Say thank you when they help you, do something nice for them be more open-minded to them and those little things make a lot of difference.
To bring all my talk home about honor and sent ones. Regardless of wherever they fall between these three categories, we have to honor the relationship.
One thing I pray from time to time is for God to teach me how to handle my relationship with them well, especially those he put in a position of authority over me, that I do not mishandle the relationship.
There are some people right now for me that I don’t even know how to begin to pay them back for their impact in my life, for some, I don’t think I can, cause what do you give to someone who has everything?
I just do my best to respect and honor this people.
You can too … And while you are at it, remember to spread nothing but love and keep reaching for the stars
