Kristine Cucinotta Murphy
When someone has forgiven you, they have blessed you, given you a gift. A favor you did not deserve.
When someone gives you a gift of forgiveness that which IS undeserved, that one has indeed gifted you out of respect.
So, if someone is continuously forgiving you, they are continuously respecting you.
Now, who has done wrong to someone, because you feel they have disrespected you in a way you did not like to be treated? Whether intentional or not?
And, because you felt poorly treated, you in turn treat them poorly in whatever minor or major degree you have choosen.
But, that person continues to let it go and love you. That person in a sense has blessed you out of respect by forgiving you without being asked and not sought to harm you. Even though, they very well had the opportunity to.
(I know bit of reading but please make the time to and hear the word of the Lord)
1 Samuel 24:4-11
And the men of David said unto him, Behold the day of which the Lord said unto thee, Behold, I will deliver thine enemy into thine hand, that thou mayest do to him as it shall seem good unto thee. Then David arose, and cut off the skirt of Saul’s robe privily.
5 And it came to pass afterward, that David’s heart smote him, because he had cut off Saul’s skirt.
6 And he said unto his men, The Lord forbid that I should do this thing unto my master, the Lord’s anointed, to stretch forth mine hand against him, seeing he is the anointed of the Lord.
7 So David stayed his servants with these words, and suffered them not to rise against Saul. But Saul rose up out of the cave, and went on his way.
8 David also arose afterward, and went out of the cave, and cried after Saul, saying, My lord the king. And when Saul looked behind him, David stooped with his face to the earth, and bowed himself.
9 And David said to Saul, Wherefore hearest thou men’s words, saying, Behold, David seeketh thy hurt?
10 Behold, this day thine eyes have seen how that the Lord had delivered thee to day into mine hand in the cave: and some bade me kill thee: but mine eye spared thee; and I said, I will not put forth mine hand against my lord; for he is the Lord’s anointed.
11 Moreover, my father, see, yea, see the skirt of thy robe in my hand: for in that I cut off the skirt of thy robe, and killed thee not, know thou and see that there is neither evil nor transgression in mine hand, and I have not sinned against thee; yet thou huntest my soul to take it.
Now, your loved one let it go and covers you and your sin with love. You were given blessings out of respect. Gifted with love, mercy, forgiveness and grace when you didn’t deserve it. How overflowing is that? Blessed abundantly in your own screw up. Given life to live abundantly.
But, your hurt had become angry, and a seed of bitterness was planted, you feel awful because you know you have wronged someone out of vengeance. Sinning in anger. Your loved one may have done no wrong, but you did somewhere and hid it in guilt, shame and never forgave yourself. And, because your loved one was in close enough range, you blamed them.
To sin in anger will undoubtedly plant a seed of bitterness, not only in your heart but can very well also in your loved one’s heart.
Now you ask for forgiveness for retaliating. And what does that “ONE” do that loves you? Blesses you more again with more Forgiveness aka Respect. Undeserved Favor – Grace
You want godly relationships? You want respect? But you must see respect in a whole new perspective; God’s perspective of respect: LOVE, MERCY, FORGIVENESS & GRACE
It must be given freely and unconditional without expecting anything in return to be received.
If your loved one forgives you, no matter how quick or long it takes, your loved one has shown you respect.
So, just because they don’t always do what you want them to, doesn’t mean they don’t respect you. It just means they do it or they don’t. That’s a choice for them to make in regards of if they can, if they are able or if they are willing.
But, don’t get that mixed up with, if they don’t do what you want them to or even what they should do with disrespect.
RESPECT is:
Giving unconditional –LOVE
MERCY – that endures forever
FORGIVENESS – that can’t be paid back
Undeserved favor – GRACE
You just give respect without any conditions. Love because God Loved you first. Not because someone deserves it, earned it or could ever pay you for it.
To Love is out of Respect.
Blessing is any action or object that is presented out of respect to another.
Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing (berakah), that there shall not be room enough to receive it. “
Malachi 3:10
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