HONOR AND RESPECT
Do you feel like others do not value you or honor you or that they lightly esteem you? Have you ever considered that they may not honor you because you do not value yourself. Perhaps you do not consider that you have any worth. The way you view yourself is the way others will treat you. Let’s do a value check today as we consider the word “honor.” How valuable are you?
When we honor someone or something, we hold them in high regard; we respect them; we consider them of great value and worth; we give them priority; we treat them with dignity and respect.
God spoke to Eli the priest in 1 Samuel 2:30 and He told Eli that those who honor God He will honor and those who despise God shall be lightly esteemed (valued, regarded or honored). We see here that our first place of honor is God. First, we must honor Him!
For those of us who are pressing toward the mark of intimacy with God and standing our ground in righteousness, we may say that we have no problem with honor. I had the Lord do a check on me, and I had my spiritual eyes opened to many truths. That which we honor, we give time to. That which we honor we defer to. We honor God by honoring others and ourselves in whom God dwells. Honoring someone, including ourselves, means that we do not “put down” that person nor consider their weaknesses. Instead, we choose to see the best in them, that which is valuable to God.
As we look at the scriptures, we have an actual commandment to honor our father and mother. In the scriptures we are told to honor God, to honor the Son of God, to honor the old, to honor widows. Wives, we are told to honor our husbands. In 1 Peter 2:17 in the Amplified Bible we are admonished to “Show respect for all men [treat them honorably]. Love the brotherhood (the Christian fraternity of which Christ is the Head). Reverence God. Honor the emperor.”
For me, the capstone scripture is found in Revelation 5:12,13,14. Worthy is the Lamb (Jesus) that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honor, and glory, and blessing. And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honor, and glory, and power, be unto Him that sits upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever. And the four living creatures said, Amen (so be it)! And the 24 elders fell down and worshipped Him that lives for ever and ever.
Honor is a big deal to God and should be a big deal to us. The world in which we live needs to be reminded of the importance of honor. You and I can be those examples to others of what it means to consider people of value. Treat yourself and everyone with respect, courtesy and honor. People may not say a word, but they will notice that you are different in a good way.
We must give honor to receive honor. Honor God! Honor yourself! Honor others! The law of seed, time and harvest works here!