Recently my son got some new shoes that he had wanted for some time. It was pretty funny watching him waddle as he walked to make sure he didn’t get them dirty. Later on, he wanted to go outside and shoot some hoops, so he put on his older shoes, went outside, and stepped right into a puddle. This is a classic example of honor and taking care of what you esteem and place value upon.
Honor can be just appearance. You can say and do the right things, but the kind of honor that God wants is the kind that overflows from our hearts. A great way to “check your heart” is to honor those who can’t give you anything in return.
I believe one of the most critical things our world needs is the restoration of the biblical virtue of honor. The Bible says in Proverbs 4:23 “Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life.” Our hearts need to be guarded. There is so much junk in the atmosphere that it is critical to breathe in the Word of God so that from our hearts come the things of God.
I have met many Christians who claim to be discipled and strong in the Lord, yet they are amongst some of the meanest people I’ve ever met. If that turns me off as a fellow believer, I can’t image what the world thinks! To be rooted and grounded in Christ Jesus means I can still love others, and the body of Christ, even if other Christ followers are mean or not bearing the fruit of the spirit in their lives.
I had a good friend, who is not a believer, ask me a question that shook me. He asked, “if Christians actually believe that their God is alive, lives within them, and empowers them, why do most Christians I know not follow the instructions in the Bible?” It was a valid question! My friend was sincere and genuinely interested to know how Christians can believe such a powerful truth, yet not live it out.
What would our lives look like if Holy Spirit was our guest of honor? To dishonor means to treat as common or ordinary. When my dad was young, he had mint condition Babe Ruth, Micky Mantle, and many other great baseball players cards. Did I mention they were signed cards? You can imagine how much these cards were worth! Someone did not see the value in them, and to my dad’s surprise when he came home from the Air Force, his box of cards had been thrown away. Horrible, right?
If your favorite movie star, or the Queen of England was coming over for dinner, my guess is that you would pull out all the stops in your home to show honor. A guest stays where they are welcome. We are hosting the Presence of God. May we never treat Holy Spirit as ordinary but with honor. Honor gives place. Honor makes room. Honor gives the best. Honor elevates. The level of honor you give is determined by the amount of value you perceive.
Romans 5:7-8 “For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. 8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
Christ honored us with His life while we did nothing to deserve the honor. He showed value upon us and lifted us up when we showed rejection to Him. We don’t honor based on who others are or what they do. We honor based on who God is to us. What would it look like for Biblical honor to flow from the heart of His people? I have a feeling some may be kinder, more giving and would elevate and esteem those around them. If honor is in your heart then your words and actions will look a little different.