Word of the Week - Honor

“Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves”. Romans 12:10

Honoring the Lord, all people and especially those in authority is one of the key themes of God’s Word and key to us living healthy and productive lives. The principal of Honoring people is based on the concept that we value people and give them worth and weight. That we don’t dishonor them by taking them lightly and overlooking them. The truth of the matter is that when we Honor God and His people we are blessed and benefit. Similar to the principal of giving, the more we Honor others, the more we gain favor and receive Honor and blessing. That being said, our motivation should come not from what we can get out of the process but from understanding that Honoring God and others pleases our Father and promotes the Gospel. We should especially Honor those in authority to include Parents, Teachers, Leaders, and yes especially Government Officials. The idea of Honoring someone is not a function of the persons skill, competence, performance, how they treat us or even their character; the concept is that God calls us to Honor all authority and all people as a human beings and children of the Living God, even if we don’t like them or agree with their approach or philosophy. This is one of the more challenging mandates of our Christian faith, especially in today’s world that seems to be driven by dishonor and disunity.Just to be clear, Honoring someone in authority does not mean we have to obey them or agree with them, it just simply means we need to recognize and consider the weight of their position and authority. 1 Peter 2:13-17 “Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every authority instituted among men; whether to the king, as the supreme authority, or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right. For it is God’s will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish men. Live as free men, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as servants of God. Show proper respect to everyone: Love the brotherhood of believers, fear God, honor the king,” All of that being said, if we disobey or disagree with those in authority then we have to be willing to face the consequences; if done in a godly manner with the right motivation this is called persecution, being willing to suffer for a greater purpose. There are many examples of this in the Bible and throughout history.So how do we Honor God and others?

1. By prioritizing them;
2. By using words of praise that build them up and not tear them down; and
3. By protecting them and standing up for them, especially if they don’t have a voice.

“Honor god with everything you own; give him the first and the best. Then your barns will burst, you wine vats will brim over” Proverbs 3:9-10. “The more we value others the more we will value from it” Pastor Chris Hodges. “If we sow honor we will reap honor” Pastor/Coach Tom MullinsI don’t know about you but I am encouraged to sow some Honor this week and see what God produces. Have a great week.-Duane