"Deference" is a forgotten word today in America. Deference is a Christian grace that is rarely taught or preached on in this day and age. Deference is one of the truest marks of real Christianity, and it is found throughout the whole New Testament. The Holy Spirit always wants us to consider other's needs and feelings first. The maturing Christian should always forbear, forgive, and bear the cross to help the weaker brother and the lost person. Christian always grow downward in humility. *John 3:30* Deference is definitely part of being conformed to image of God's dear Son. We must let the Holy Spirit work to transform our mind, will, and attitude everyday.
Deference – Submission or courteous yielding to the opinion, wishes, or judgment of another; courteous respect. Respectful submission or yielding to the judgment, opinion, will, etc., of another. Polite and respectful behavior. Showing kindly awareness, courteous concern or regard for another’s feelings, needs, claims, circumstances, etc. Being full of polite concern for the well being of others. To humbly acquiesce and quietly yield to another’s will. Having respectful love or courteous regard to others. Having a desire to promote the prosperity and happiness of another. Being careful not to offend others. Passive assent or agreement without protest or objection. A yielding of judgment or preference from respect to the wishes or opinion of another; being thoughtful of the needs and feelings of others; respect; willingness to carry out the wishes of others. To avoid being a burden to others; a desire to promote harmony, cooperation, and unity; being thoughtful towards other people. Inclination to yield one’s opinion, and to acquiesce in the sentiments of another in preference to one’s own. Be helpful to the helpless, that's Christlike conduct.
Synonyms: Respectfulness, condescension, esteem, yielding, submission, courtesy, esteem, politeness, regard, thoughtfulness, honor, benevolent, compassionate, concerned, caring, thoughtful, forbearing, warmhearted, unselfish, friendly, neighborly, sympathetic, tenderhearted, gentle, gracious, understanding, big-hearted
Think honorably of one another, always entertain an honorable esteem of each other; not contending for superiority; always be careful to give to others the preeminence; consider all your brethren as more worthy than yourself; do not let envy affect your mind at seeing another honored and yourself neglected; pass through life with as little noise and vain show as possible; be careful to esteem others better than yourself, be more pleased to hear another praised, than yourself; do not indulge in evil surmises, or groundless jealousies of one another, charity thinketh no evil, speak honorably of each other, discourage the evil practice of whisperings, backbitings, and innuendos; treat each other with honor and respect in common conversation, do not judge other in haste, closely and prayerfully consider other’s situation, should not have affection to one party, and disrespect to another. If at all possible, always defer to the other person’s needs.
In honor preferring one another – Matthew 5:39-42; 20:26-28; Mark 9:35; 10:44; Luke 6:31-35; 14:10; Romans 12:3,10,15,16; 13:7-8; 14:1-3,10,13, 19-22; 15:1-3; I Corinthians 6:7; 7:3; 8:7-13; 9:19,22,23; 10:23-33; 12:22-26; 13:4-5; II Corinthians 6:3; 8:9; 11:29; Galatians 5:13; 6:1-2; Philippians 2:3-4,21; Psalm 101:2; I Samuel 18:14; Ephesians 5:21; I Thessalonians 5:22; Proverbs 14:15; 16:20; I Timothy 5:21; II Timothy 2:24; Hebrews 10:24; I Peter 2:17; 3:7; James 2:8,15-16; I John 3:17-18; Revelation 12:11
