Respect and Being Respected

A man walks into a job interview in Canada with a half-grown beard during the weeks between Pesach and Shavuos, and he has a decision to make before he gets there. It connects to a question on Parshas Bo. When the Jews left Mitzrayim with silver and gold, why did Hashem arrange that the Egyptians would favor them, when fear would have gotten the same result? The Netziv, with a pasuk in Devarim, explains why the respect of the nations matters, and why it still calls for a clear line between us and them.