Respectfully yours!

Respect for God, God’s creation and God’s children is one of mankind’s most noble sentiments. Respect begets respect. We earn respect by giving respect. “Respect for ourselves guides our morals; respect for others guides our manners.” — Laurence Stone.

- JOE ERUPPAKKATT

A story is told of an old man who went to live with his son, daughter-in-law and his four-year-old grandson in the town. The old man was so feeble and trembling that while he ate with them at the table, food and drinks used to spill over and make the table clothes dirty. So, one day the son and the daughter-in-law decided to arrange a separate table for the old father to sit and eat alone, and so won’t be a botheration to others. As he would occasionally break a plate or glasses, they decided to serve him food in a wooden bowl. The elderly man sat alone in a corner and ate while the rest of the family had fun eating together. Sometimes, he would shed tears as he sat alone. The grandson watched him silently and was upset about it.

One day the young man saw his son working on a piece of wood. “What are you doing with that piece of wood, son,” he asked the boy. The boy replied, “I am making two bowls– one for you and one for mom – to eat when you grow old.” The parents of the boy grew pale and speechless. They realised how badly they were treating their father. That evening, the man took his father’s hand and led him to the main table and served him food with the others.

The little boy in the story taught his parents that respect is something you get only when you give it to others. You reap what you sow; you sow respect, you beget respect. You respect your parents, elders and teachers, and you get the same from them and others. Or else, you will end up having a lot of people disrespecting you. The best principle of respect is found in the Bible: “So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you (Matthew 7:12).