Dignity is a basic human right. Most of us expect to be given respect and to treated with the dignity of being considered as an equal. Dignity is a component of social justice having the potential to end the marginalisation and stigma of those that are different. It is also a fundamental human right to give value and respect for all people regardless of race, religion, physical limitation, mental illness or background. We all like to be treated with politeness, kindness and courtesy.
When we treat others as ourselves we are loving, obeying & honouring God. Matthew 22:37-39
Treating People With Dignity and Respect is Loving Them
God wants us to love others; even when we are dealing with difficult people that don’t deserve it as we need to show grace by maintaining a level of respect that doesn’t ignore their value as a human being. This means that we don’t ridicule, exploit or manipulate others in order to take advantage of them. Nor do we retaliate, but instead try to understand the cause of their frustration. This way we are treating them with human dignity and respect.
As Christians we learn to value every human as an image-bearer of the Almighty. The bible clearly states that we are made in God’s image. Genesis 1:27
Being mindful of our own need for respect and dignity, allows us to be mindful to treat others with the same dignity and respect we require for ourselves. The meaning of respect for some will differ within certain cultural boundaries. This means respecting laws when visiting foreign countries. It’s our obligation to know their laws so that we don’t cross legal lines. The foundational meaning of respect is having due regard for someone’s feelings, views, wishes, differences or rights. Even when we’re online.
A Look At The Word ‘Dignity’
THE Oxford Living Dictionaries is described ‘Dignity’ as, “The state or quality of being worthy of honour or respect.”
Thesaurus – Synonyms Of The ‘Dignity’
Synonyms – decency, decorum, grace, honour, greatness, morality, self respect, stature, virtue, value, significance, worth & worthiness, prestige, glory, distinction, perfection, importance, decency, splendour and ethical.
Research on Respect.
Studies of 18 patients who survived cardiac arrests were conducted to understand their concepts of ‘respect’ by medical providers.
The following seven responses were important to the patients:
- Empathy
- Care
- Provision of information
- Autonomy
- Attention to needs
- Dignity
- Recognition of individuality
What can we do?
The bible states that we were bought for a price and don’t belong to darkness, but to an everlasting God of light, love and peace that the world desperately needs to witness in our walk with Christ. Jesus needs to be seen in our actions and in our words as we demonstrate heaven on earth to mankind. That calls for us to get out of our comfort zones and take a stand.
Sources:
NCBI – US National Library of Medicine – National Institutes of Health
English Oxford Living Dictionaries
Have you thought about becoming a qualified counsellor? It’s a great opportunity to learn how you can extend God's love and grace to the hurting out in the community.
For those who would like to enrol in aifc’s accredited Christian counselling courses we have two intakes per year for courses commencing around the following months:
Enrolment Season - opens approximately 2 months prior to our courses commencing. Enrol online here during our enrolment season.
We also offer two modes of study:
A Master of Counselling course was introduced in 2018.