Respect

89/365

In my adult years, one aspect of humanity has had the capability to aggravate me more than any other: Irresponsibility. In our society, I have come to believe that people simply do not care about anything but themselves anymore. They don’t care about time, they don’t care about service and they don’t care about sheer respect of others. I mean, call me crazy, but I expect certain things from the rest of the population:

I expect that when I pay for a service, it will be done correctly.
I expect that when I am provided with a schedule, the timetable will be adhered to.
I expect that others will take their commitments seriously, as I do mine.
I expect that people will respect my time, emotions and efforts as I respect theirs.

Lately, I find myself wondering: Am I expecting too much?!

Romans 13:7
“Give everyone what you owe him: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor.” – NIV

Where is the line between submitting to others and demanding the respect owed to you? I read passages like Romans 13:7 and wonder, am I the only one who feels that respect is owed to me? Could it be that my life on the inside is far more virtuous than what others are witnessing? Has my obsession with schedules, planning and responsibility taken a turn for the worse and become a hindrance on my mercy?

In regards to personal respect: Am I expecting more than what is owed?