Jesus defied all of these rules. He taught in the outer courts of the Temple so women could join the audience.

An old meaning of the word 'restoration' is to find someone with a royal bloodline who has been removed from the throne and then restore the person to that throne - to a position of honor.

Typically, people allow differences and mistakes to lower their respect and value for other people. But you know the pillar of honor is strong in a relationship when you can look at the other person and say, “You are really different from me. It makes me sad when I see you making that choice. But I love you. I value you, I believe in you, and I am here for you in this relationship.

Jesus literally sliced through years of rabbinical law and cultural norms with the extreme love of God that sees the treasure in every human heart.

Discipline works from the inside out, and punishment tries to work from the outside in.

Each believer comes to understand his or her significance in relationship to the whole Body, and the conviction begins to take hold: “I carry something that no one else carries. I must develop and release my gifts into the Church and the world and do my part in bringing Heaven to earth.” Honor empowers people.

Yes, it's vulnerable and scary to keep your love on toward someone who has become a perceived threat-you cannot guarantee what he or she is going to do. But you can guarantee your own choice. And you can always choose connection.