That is not an easy question to answer
Maybe it depend on the situation that lead up to one loosing respect for someone? honestly not sure about this one
I like that response, because I'm thinking of two friends. Sometimes friends fall out, over misunderstandings, or other things.
Sometimes it's due one person being upset that the other person did not say things, how they wanted them to say it, or they felt it was a bit harsh.
While the other person has equal reason to believe that one should not expect that everything will be said to one's liking.
The important thing is to consider the intent of the word.
In a world where some people are more sensitive than others, mainly due to what they have been through in life, it is impossible for us to alway hear what we want to hear, or hear things said in a way we prefer them to be said.
Because we are not perfect, we should try to learn to deal with imperfections all around us, realizing that we ourself are imperfect, and what we say may sound right to us, but to the listener, it doesn't.
(Ecclesiastes 7:21, 22)
21 Also, do not take to heart every word that people say; otherwise, you may hear your servant calling down evil on you;
22 for you well know in your heart that many times you yourself have called down evil on others.
Every word is not an intended stab, but if we view them that way, they will be.
Then respect for us becomes something other than... It becomes something based on our perspective of things... which is somewhat clouded.
So you are correct... in one sense.
That being dependant on how you are looking at respect.
Respect has been defined in two ways...
If the first definition is the focus, then it's not difficult to answer.
One definitely can loose respect for someone without feeling others need to earn their respect.
This is due to the fact that there are certain expectations, one has, base on his standards.
For example, one may admire someone for the way they demonstrate themselves to be - perhaps their qualities; the way they deal with others, etc.
Then the person changes, and becomes a different person.
Based on one's standards, they can lose respect for the person.
However, that would mean, that equally, we realize that we don't have to respect people who have those behaviors that caused us to lose respect for the other person.
Hence, that's where "earn our respect" come in. Those people, whom we don't know, has to earn our respect... that's if we are dealing with the first definition.
On the other hand, the second definition, allows us to respect all persons, regardless of how they behave. So strangers who are behaving in a manner that is against our standards, we still respect them./
Someone we admired disappoints us, we still respect them.
To give an example.
In my ministry, I go to a door.
'Knock Knock'. The door opens. When the person sees me with my book-bag and Bible in hand. They slam the door.
BRAM!
I still respect that person, and I will visit them again. What if they curse me? Do I lose respect for them. No. I can't.
That kind of respect is not dependent on how someone treats me. I still respect their feelings, wishes, etc., and deal with them in a respectful way.
That how I understand respect.
At this point, I'll like to say
@Unveiled Artist that I am sorry for where my expressions hurt your feelings There were not intended to, but I also hope that Ecclesiastes 7:21, 22 is of some benefit to you.
Going through this life, it's vital we learn to deal with every situation. Imo.
Didn't mean for it to be so long.
