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I Get No Respect

by Elder Ron Spurgeon

Franklin, KY

"Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right. Honour thy father and mother; which is the first commandment with promise; That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth." Ephesians 6:1-3.

Rodney Dangerfield gets no respect! The truth of the matter is a lack of respect is a growing canker sore spreading like wild fire in society.

The Good book states, "Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child; but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him." Proverbs 22:15. Just the other day I was at Wal-Mart when a little boy was demonstrating this very idea. He was screaming at the top of his little lungs, kicking his mother in the shins because she said, "now hunny bunny Bill, we can't afford the little Saddam Hussein Assassin GI Joe figure. You'll need to wait until Christmas, and maybe Good Ole Santa will bring you one." in her soft toned child-like voice. He proceeded to curse, rant, and rave with no respect to his mother or the many people observing his act of rebellion.

I was raised in a family of four boys who totally respected authority. I honored my Father and Mother then, and I still do today by saying, "Yes sir, No sir, thank-you, please, pardon me or excuse me, may I, and I love you." They disciplined me when I disobeyed my teaching and I am proud to say, "Thank You Mom and Dad," for beating the "living daylights" out of me when I displayed a lack of respect.

My Dad told me, "Son respect your Elders." An Elder is a Pastor of the Baptist Church. An Elder is also, anyone who is old enough to be your father - mother- grandfather - grandmother, and beyond. In today's society, we are seemingly pushing old people to the side and telling them they are all washed up and counter-productive to society. This is an evil that must be stopped. If it weren't for the stand our elders took in battles, wars, and good moral ethics, this country would have fallen by the wayside sooner than it already is!

A respect of freedom has taken a new twist. Once we respected our freedom of choice, religion and many other freedoms in America, as long as it was in accordance to the laws of the Land. Now, most Americans feel like we have the freedom to do whatever feels good! If it feels good to burn The Flag of the United States of America, Do it! Where is our respect for the Banner of Freedom!

We have lost respect for many things in this new Modern Age.

1. A lack of respect for property: we build homes for people; they tear them down. Children in schools are destroying school property, at the expense of taxpayers.

2. A lack of respect for Love: one of the most common sarcastic passes a boy gives a girl now is, "I respect you." My oldest daughter's thirteen-year-old friend is now pregnant because of this reason, lack of respect.

3. A lack of respect for one's body: the human society is destroying its bodies with a lack of proper nutrition and exercise. Drugs, cigarettes, alcohol and obesity are killing us, too.

One of the most common evils of today, is a lack of respect! Let's teach our children at home-where it all begins.