Give Respect to Get Respect

  Someone has not acted according to what you expected.  They have slighted you in their behaviour. They have ignored you or been short in their responses etc. You feel that you have not been given the proper respect you deserve.  You feel let down.

  What are your feelings towards yourself?  How do you behave towards yourself?  Do you always remain in the high stage of self respect and create thoughts that are lofty and pure?  Are your actions noble and beyond ulterior motives?  Are your words always soothing and uplifting or are they of the degrading and 'cutting down' variety?  How is your self respect?

It is always easy to expect and demand respect from others.  It is popular to criticize others for not being respectful or for being rude or for not showing the proper appreciation.  It is less popular to demand respect from ourselves. Without self respect we can never gain respect from others. Without self respect we will always be performing self defeating actions.

With self respect we become the elevated ones; we become lovely in behaviour.  And because of our vision and actions we become the foundation of our community. We cannot get respect by asking for it and we only receive it when you give it to others.

Photo: Abwad and his Brother Atsianji, the sons of Bro Mondest Gwademba

Bro. Modest Gwademba (Tiriki, Kenya)