HONOR - What does the Bible say about honor? “Praise him for demonstrating such unfailing love to me by honoring me before the king, his council, and all his mighty princes! I felt encouraged because the gracious hand of the LORD my God was on me. And I gathered some of the leaders of Israel to return with me to Jerusalem. “(Ezra 7:28) Those who honor God will be honored. Ezra praised God for all that God had done for him and through him. Ezra had honored God throughout his life, and God chose to honor him. Ezra could have assumed that his own greatness and charisma had won over the king and his princes, but he gave the credit to God. We, too, should be grateful to God for our success and not think that we did it in our own power. Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other. (Romans 12:10) Giving honor is better than receiving honor. We can honor others in one of two ways. One involves ulterior motives. We honor our bosses so they will reward us, our employees so they will work harder, the wealthy so they will contribute to our cause, the powerful so they will use their power for us and not against us. Gods other way involves love. As Christians, we honor people because they have been created in Gods image, because they are our brothers and sisters in Christ, and because they have a unique contribution to make to Christs church. Does Gods way of honoring others sound too difficult for your competitive nature? Why not try to outdo one another in showing honor? Put others first! KEY BIBLE VERSE: Honor your father and mother. Then you will live a long, full life in the land the LORD your God will give you. (Exodus 20:12) Honoring parents is particularly important to God. This is the first commandment with a promise attached. To live in peace for generations in the Promised Land, the Israelites would need to respect authority and build strong families. But what does it mean to honor parents? Partly, it means speaking well of them and politely to them. It also means acting in a way that shows them courtesy and respect (but not obeying them if it means disobeying God). It means following their teaching and example of putting God first. Parents have a special place in Gods sight. Even those who find it difficult to get along with their parents are still commanded to honor them. Who is worthy of respect? Do not come any closer, God told him. Take off your sandals, for you are standing on holy ground. (Exodus 3:5) God is worthy of great respect. At Gods command, Moses removed his sandals and covered his face. Taking off his shoes was an act of reverence, conveying his own unworthiness before God. God is our friend, but he is also our sovereign Lord. To approach him frivolously shows a lack of respect and sincerity. When you come to God in worship, do you approach him casually, or do you come as though you were an invited guest before a king? If necessary, adjust your attitude so it is suitable for approaching a holy God. “Handbook of Bible Application.”
Posted on: Tue, 26 Nov 2013 02:52:40 +0000
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