RESPECT

According to dictionary.com, respect is "esteem for or a sense of the worth or excellence of a person, a personal quality or ability, or something considered as a manifestation of a personal quality or ability.”

A sense of worth or excellence in another person.

How do we attain this sense of worth or excellence for another person? How do we truly show our respect?

They way that you value a person can show you how much respect you have for them. When you hold a person in the highest esteem you express a high level of respect. This level of respect should be one that is used in a marriage.

“Parents… should love and respect each other, and treat each other with respectful decorum and kindly regard, all the time. The husband should treat his wife with the utmost courtesy and respect. The husband should never insult her; he should never speak slightly of her, but should always hold her in the highest esteem in the home, in the presence of their children… The wife, also, should treat the husband with the greatest respect and courtesy. Her words to him should not be keen and cutting and sarcastic. She should not pass slurs or insinuations at him… Then it will be easy for the parents to instill into the hearts of their children not only love for their fathers and their mothers, not only respect and courtesy towards their parents, but love and courtesy and deference between the children at home” (Joseph F. Smith, Gospel Doctrine, pp. 283–284).

Earlier this week, I read this quote and it got me thinking about what respect for another person truly was. It also got me thinking about marriage and what kind of love should be shown within a husband and a wife. Love without respect is not love at all.

As a husband and wife demonstrate a love full of respect they will be able to demonstrate to others how to feel most fulfilled in life. As children become a part of a family they will learn how to love and show respect by watching their parent’s examples. The goal as a parent is to raise children that will be successful and those whom are respectful will be the people that are respected and through that they can achieve anything.

Wives and husbands need to feel a sense of worth or excellence about their partner and as this is done their views about their spouses will change. Marriage gives you the perfect opportunity to practice the act of respect. As you respect your spouse they will show you the same in return. Being respected gives you power and a sense of accomplishment.

Analyze your life and decide how you will respect the people that you associate with! It could change your life.