Moment of Meditation: Respectable (1 Timothy 3:2)

Now an overseer must be ... respectable.
(1 Timothy 3:2)

Respectable

You have to earn respect. It's much easier to earn respect if you show respect. The idea behind being respectable is that you are respectful. How is it that a pastor can hear the confession of horrible sins, pronounce God's absolution and not look at the person differently afterwards? We show the person, no matter what sin has been committed, the respect they are due because they were people for whom Jesus died.

Respect given turns into respect earned. To be respected, you must be respectable. To those in your circle of friends but also outside your circle. Jesus said, "If you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same?" (Matthew 5:46). As Christians, we're called to love the loveless as Jesus did. As the Lenten hymn puts it, "Love to the loveless shown that they might lovely be" (LSB #430.1).

Once you were loveless and Jesus showed you love. Once you were unrespectable and Jesus showed you respect by dying for you on the cross. Show that same respect to those around you, friend or not, and you will be seen as respectable by all. Amen.