The Discipline of Showing Respect
Being respectful of others does not come naturally. It is something that has to be taught.  It was the Reverend Billy Graham who said, “A child who is allowed to be disrespectful to his parents will not have true respect for anyone.”  In this regard I was fortunate to have been taught respect in my childhood.  I remember on one occasion when I was protesting to my father about something my mother wanted me to do.  In my frustration  I referred to her as “she.” He made it crystal clear, right there and then, that I was never to refer to her as “she” but only as “mom” or “mother.”  Throughout my childhood, he insisted that I open the car door for her, never precede her into a room and never begin eating until mom had raised her fork. His training really did teach me to be respectful of others.

Attitudes of respect that we fail to learn growing up at home come more harshly when we enter the real world.  For some of us respect was taught to us by a teacher or coach, some learn it in the military and some from their first boss.  No matter the teacher, respect has to be learned.