1 Peter 2:13-14

Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme; Or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers, and for the praise of them that do well.

Reverence is something our society lacks. Society in general is hesitant to recognize anyone as an authority figure including teachers, police officers, or even bosses. Jesus taught believers to have reverence, not because of the person’s title but because of the love He has for them as well. If He loves them, we are to love them and treat everyone with respect.

Professional golf has its own divisions. Every golfer on Tour utilizes the services of a caddie who is considered to be an independent contractor. This distinction means his contract is from week to week and in some cases day to day. The golfer not only depends upon the caddie to lug his large bag of tools around for the day, but also he routinely gives the golfer yardages and lines of sight to the hole. Most caddies “foot their own bill” to travel around the world with the hope their golfer makes the cut to receive a payday. The higher the finish, the more money the caddie will earn. Most tournaments, however, treat caddies like second class citizens. They have different dining areas, menus, and bathrooms. The sad part is that the high profile players, who are in a position to improve the treatment of caddies at the tournaments, often stay silent.

Certainly lines have to be drawn and everyone can’t be given gourmet meal. Most golfers treat their caddie as part of the team on the golf course, but outside of the ropes (but inside the gates) is a different story. The caddies are separated from their players in many areas.

Believers are commanded to be reverent individuals. We should respect, not only those with titles, but everyone. Our friends, relatives, the guy begging on the street, the Republican President, the Democratic Senator, and the guy who mows our lawn all deserve a certain amount of reverence. Each of these people either protect us or perform services to make our lives easier, enjoyable and more comfortable. There will be no distinction of titles in Heaven.

Jesus is due all the reverence. Because of His ultimate sacrifice, the believer is provided the promise of eternal life. There is no greater comfort in knowing our past sins were wiped away from the slate and we are new creatures in Christ. As one aptly put it, “the judgment day for the believer was moved from the future to the past.” Let us never forsake the praise and reverence of our Savior!