R-E-S-P-E-C-T

Romans 12:10

New International Version (NIV)

¹⁰ Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves.

From childhood most of us have been taught to be respectful.  Respect your parents, teachers, other adults, privacy, etc.  And as adults we continue to have an expectation of respect.  We generally demand it from our children...our spouses...even our parents!

I would suggest that respect should be given. Of course, it can be earned and even demanded.  I think that earned respect is obligation.  Demanded respect is fear.  These two forms of respect are not necessarily bad, but they do come from a different place than given respect.  Given respect is the real deal.  It comes from love.