Respect: earned, and obliged

A few nights ago our Senior Pastor had a meeting at church with the parents of teenage children, as well as those others interested, regarding the direction the youth ministry would be going. It seems that the current youth pastor, for various reasons, has decided to leave the church.

During a Q&A time, at the end of the meeting, the Senior Pastor fielded several comments from individuals who, evidently, were not pleased with the direction the church is going. One comment, in particular, struck me as odd. A twenty-something male stated, with regards to any individual intending to guide the youth,

You have to earn their respect!

The comment was echoed by at least one other person during the meeting.

Now, I don't disagree that anyone teaching and guiding a group of people, regardless of whether or not they are in an age-specific category, has the responsibility to extend respect to the group they are shepherding. But I was intrigued by the fact that no one offered up just what responsibilities the youth have with regards to those placed in leadership of them.

Respect is not a one-way street, and the fact that one is a teenager young-adult does not excuse them from having responsibilities of their own.