I hear the word respect used a lot. Professional athletes talk about having respect for their opponents who play well. Respecting boundaries is an important topic for both kids and adults. Students are asked to respect one another in the classroom and on the playground.
Most of these instances involve respecting people we come in direct contact with on a day-to-day basis. It is much easier to teach a child to respect someone they interact with often because they are able to practice what they learn immediately. This kind of respect is very tangible and real to them.
When we talk about respecting leaders with our children, things get a little more fuzzy. They have leaders in their everyday life, such as parents, teachers, coaches, and pastors. This is one level they can relate with because of the real-life interaction, but what about the levels above that? Leaders such as the superintendent, mayor, governor, congressmen, and president should be respected by our children, but what does that look like for them when they may never even meet these people?
I am over on the Tommy Nelson blog talk about the keys to teaching our children to respect their leaders – and I’m learning something in the process, as well. Come join me over there to hear my thoughts and what the Bible asks us to do!