1 Peter 2:17 “Honor everyone.  Love the family of believers.  Fear God.  Honor the emperor.”

This verse is easy to say, challenging to follow.  I say I honor everyone but when I review my thoughts and deeper feelings, do I truly honor everyone?  Do I respect each person as I am called to?  I respect a person dressed in business attire and a conservative hair style but do I respect and honor the person who wears torn jeans and has a purple stripe in their hair?  I honor parents and children in the neighborhood but do I honor my husband and my own children?  I love the people in church who I know and get along with but do I love the people in church who rub me the wrong way or don’t have anything in common with me?  Do I honor the leaders of my country?  How do I look past what I disagree with in people and look deeper into the heart?  Peter says “Fear God.”  I believe this is the path to the other challenges he laid down.  Honor God most of all, love and respect and bow to Him; this is where I start.  Through this action I feel love and honor for the people around me.  Through the Spirit of God, I see beauty and the love each person deserves and I am able to honor them, with God’s help.

Lord,

Change my view to see as you see.  Change my heart to live as you guide me to.  I am challenged to honor everyone, love everyone, honor authority and bow deepest to you.  Help me live as you call me to live.  Amen.