Respect

The Bible as Literature

A prophet gathered people to do difficult, painful, and dangerous work, which was to be carried out according to specific instructions.

He said, “I am going to do this work, no matter what the cost, no matter how long it takes, according to the instructions given to me.”

When his tribe heard the instructions, they said, “That’s your choice; we want nothing to do with you.”

When his friends heard it, they agreed that it was a good idea but counseled him, “If you do it as instructed, you will end up alone.”

Several years passed, and the prophet did as he was instructed. It was indeed difficult, painful, and exceedingly dangerous—but he survived.

Many people watched the prophet and advised the prophet, and some tried to do things for him, but in all that time, no one was willing to join the prophet in doing what he did, as he was instructed, which was indeed difficult, painful, and exceedingly dangerous.

Some tried to convince him to alter the instructions, subtract, or add to them. When he would not listen, they became frustrated or angry, in part because he would not listen but mostly because they did not like the instructions, and his stubbornness was embarrassing.

“That’s your choice,” they cowered, shunning prophetic instruction with empty platitudes, “everyone is free to do what they want.”

Apparently so.

No shame and no game.

Then, there were those who demanded the lie of equality—but how could they demand equality from their slave?

The prophet who was doing difficult, painful, and exceedingly dangerous work all those years and barely managed to survive while others were “saving” him from the sidelines?

You can’t watch Jordan score 60 points from your seat on the bench and then bitch that you are his equal because you know more about a game that you are not playing.

You can’t watch a janitor clean all the toilets in the building and then demand equality from him while criticizing his work while you are sitting on it.

You can’t watch a secretary do all the administrative work for everyone, including you, and then demand that he is not treating you as his equal because in doing what he did as he was instructed, the instructions offended you.

You are not helping, and when you help, your help is not the same as doing. Chipping in is not “all in.”

What is it that they used to say in Sunday School? Church is not a “social club?”

When it comes to the Pearl, it’s all or nothing, Habibi.

If you are still talking about equality, you are not on the bench; you are fast asleep, dreaming. Equality is not a thing to be grasped because equality is a fallacy.

I am talking about respect.

It is true that respect cannot be demanded. It is an absolute lie that respect can be earned.

A prophet is not without honor, except among those without honor.

Respect is sown.

He who has ears to hear, let him hear!

Richard and I discuss Luke 5:27-28. (Episode 517)

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