Weekly Compass: Respect
Start with Respect: It’s Not Optional
Respect isn’t something we earn—it’s something we choose to give. This week, let’s explore how everyday respect can build stronger hearts, homes, and communities.
Welcome to this edition of the Weekly Compass, where we shine a spotlight on a single value and look at how it can guide our everyday decisions and actions. Each installment includes a brief reflection, group discussion prompts, and a practical “take action” step—perfect for families, small groups, or personal study.
Our focus this week is Respect. Together, we’ll explore what it really means to treat others with kindness, fairness, and dignity—regardless of who they are or how they treat us in return. Respect isn’t just about politeness or good manners. It’s about recognizing the inherent worth of every person, even (and especially) when we disagree. In a world that seems to reward outrage and division, choosing to lead with respect is an act of quiet courage—and a reflection of who we are at our core.
We’ll talk about why respect shouldn’t be earned like a prize or handed out like a reward. It’s something we give because we believe in human dignity as a starting point, not an end goal. Whether we’re at home, school, work, or navigating tricky social media threads, practicing daily respect helps build stronger relationships, more inclusive communities, and a sense of calm self-respect that doesn’t depend on how others behave. So, let’s look at what it means to make respect a lifestyle, not just a classic R&B song!
If you’re ready, let’s dive in!
Key Objectives
[Parents and discussion leaders]: Please review the following objectives and explanation about why they matter. During your discussion time, you can read these to everyone verbatim, put them in your own words, or simply skip them and start with the opening reflection while keeping these in mind.
Objectives for this discussion:
Define Respect Simply: Understand respect as “treating others the way you want to be treated”—with kindness, fairness, and dignity.
Challenge Transactional Thinking: Recognize that respect isn’t something others have to earn; it’s a reflection of our own values and character.
Explore Social Impact: Discuss how respect reduces bullying, discrimination, and division, and helps create a stronger, safer community.
Model Respect Daily: Identify practical ways to show respect at home, at school, at work, and in public spaces.
Why These Objectives Matter
[Read aloud, optional]: Respect isn’t just about saying “please” and “thank you” (though those never hurt!). At its heart, respect means treating others the way you want to be treated—like they matter, even when they’re not your best friend, your boss, or someone you agree with. When we make respect our default—not something reserved for people who “deserve it”—we send a message about who we are, not just what we think of someone else. It’s about leading with dignity, especially in a world that seems to have forgotten even basic politeness.
This kind of everyday respect isn’t a small, inconsequential thing. When practiced consistently, it reduces bullying, discrimination, and that all-too-familiar social tension that makes everyone walk on eggshells. Respect builds bridges instead of walls, and it starts with little choices: how we speak, how we listen, how we treat the person behind the counter when we're in a rush. When we model it, others notice. And before you know it, one act of respect becomes the spark for a more kind, fair, and connected community.
Opening Reflection
[Parents and discussion leaders]: Read paragraph 1 below and then select either Option 1 or Option 2 of paragraph 2, based upon the make-up of your family or discussion group. This should be read out loud as an opening reflection.
Paragraph 1:
Respect is the glue that holds relationships and communities together—it’s how we say, “You matter,” even when we don’t agree with someone. It doesn’t mean we like everyone or agree with every opinion, but it does mean we treat others with kindness and dignity, simply because they’re human. Respect doesn’t start with admiration—it starts with a choice to value people for who they are, not for how well they behave or how much they agree with us.
Paragraph 2 (Option 1; Child-Friendly):
Let’s say you hold the door open for someone and they just walk through without saying “thank you.” You might feel annoyed—or even want to shout, “You’re welcome!” really loud, right? But showing respect isn’t about what they do—it’s about who you are. Every time you choose to be polite or fair, even when someone else isn’t, you're proving just how strong and kind you can be.
Paragraph 2 (Option 2; Adult-Oriented):
Think about how often we’re tempted to match the energy we’re given—if someone’s rude, we’re short back; if someone cuts us off in traffic, we glare or mumble something under our breath and are tempted to tailgate them to demonstrate our irritation. (Not that you’d ever do that, right?) You see, respect isn’t reactive—it’s intentional. Offering respect even when it’s not returned shows emotional maturity and grounded values. It may not always change the other person, but it absolutely shapes who we become.
Discussion Questions
[Parents and discussion leaders]: Explain that there are three questions you’ll be discussing together and encourage everyone to share their thoughts on each question. Select the appropriate group of questions from the selection below and go through them, one at a time, allowing ample time for discussion. You might also ask follow-up questions—like “Why do you think that?” or “Can you explain more?”—to help participants clarify their ideas and dig a little deeper. Remind everyone that there are no “wrong” answers here; we’re simply exploring the many ways courage can show up in our lives.
Brief Introduction to Read Aloud:
Before we dive into today’s questions, let’s take a moment to remember what we’re really talking about: Respect means treating others the way we want to be treated—with kindness, fairness, and dignity. That might sound simple, but it can be surprisingly hard—especially when someone’s being rude, unfair, or just plain frustrating.
These questions are designed to help us think about how we show (or sometimes struggle to show) respect in everyday life. There are no perfect answers—just real stories, honest thoughts, and chances to learn from each other. Let’s keep an open mind and be respectful of each other as we share. After all, that’s the best way to practice what we’re talking about.
Younger Children
Q1: What does it look like to treat someone with respect?
Q2: How do you feel when someone respects you? What about when they don’t?
Q3: Describe a time when you showed respect to someone at school or at home.
Teens/College Students
Q1: Is respect something people should have to earn? Why or why not?
Q2: How do social media and online interactions make it harder (or easier) to show respect?
Q3: What does it look like to respectfully disagree with someone?
Adults/General Audience
Q1: What happens to communities when people treat respect as conditional?
Q2: How can we model respect for others even in political, social, or workplace disagreements?
Q3: Have you ever experienced a situation where showing respect changed the outcome of a tense moment? What happened and why?
Take Action!
[Parents and discussion leaders]: Read the brief introduction below and then read the appropriate Weekly Challenge, or put it in your own words, if you prefer. Discuss the challenge to ensure everyone understands it. Ask everyone to commit to taking on this challenge!
Introduction to the Challenge:
Talking about respect is a great start—but real growth happens when we practice it. Respect isn’t just a feeling we have for others; it’s something we choose to express in everyday moments, especially when it’s not easy. That’s why this week’s challenge invites you to take a simple action that could make a meaningful difference—for someone else, and for yourself.
Try this challenge with your group or family, then check in at the end of the week to share what you noticed. Even small acts of respect can ripple outward in powerful ways.
Weekly Challenge (Child-Oriented):
This week, find one moment when someone makes you feel annoyed or frustrated—like a classmate who talks too much, or a sibling who grabs the last cookie. Instead of getting mad, take a deep breath and treat them with kindness and respect. Then, tell a grown-up how it felt to make that choice.
Weekly Challenge (Adult-Oriented):
Identify one situation this week—at work, in public, or even online—where your first instinct might be to judge, criticize, or withdraw. Instead, pause and choose to respond with respect. Whether it’s your words, tone, or body language, let your values guide you. At week’s end, take a moment to reflect on how that moment shaped the interaction—and how it impacted your own sense of self.
Closing Thoughts
[Parents and discussion leaders]: To wrap up your discussion, read the quote below and the closing reflection, or ask someone else to read them to the group. If you are using the Weekly Compass with younger children, you may need to explain the closing reflection or simply put it in your own words.
“Respect is not something you hold back until someone proves they deserve it. It’s something you give because you believe everyone deserves to be treated with dignity.”
– Brandon Jubar
This quote reminds us that respect isn’t a reward—it’s a choice. It’s not about whether someone’s actions meet our expectations; it’s about recognizing their humanity, even when we don’t see eye to eye. When we treat others with dignity, we show the world what kind of people we are—not just what kind of people we like.
Respect isn’t about who the other person is—it’s about who you are. It’s easy to be respectful when everyone’s kind and everything’s going your way. The real challenge—and the real growth—comes when we offer respect even in frustrating or difficult moments. This week, let’s each commit to leading with respect. Let’s speak, act, and listen in ways that make others feel seen, heard, and safe. You might be surprised how far a little respect can go—and how good it feels to start from a place of respect.