Preserved Honor Our country's established systems of authority and education have great potential for benefit and blessing. Laws have been written to protect us and our equal rights of freedom and expression. Instruction is available to develop useful skills to improve our lives with fulfillment and financial security. However, as great as their potential may be, these institutions are limited in their impact by the degree of respect and honor they and those who represent them receive. Only as they are kept in high esteem and appreciation can they help to establish order and fully developed functioning abilities. As soon as their legitimacy and worth are questioned, their influence for good is lessened. When they are considered commonplace, optional, and even expendable, their benefit to life is extinguished. Where honor for them has been disabled in this way, there can be little reward from them. What they offer will only benefit at the level in which it is honored. What we have received in the work of the cross is of far greater potential than all the offerings of the world combined. The abundance Jesus came to give us isn’t limited to freedom and security for this life on earth, though. There is also the promise of eternal life beyond what is seen here and now. However, the experience of this gift of life is limited by the honor it and those who represent it are given. Its great potential is threatened, and at the mercy of, the level of honor it receives. As what is of worth to God is considered commonplace, optional, and even expendable, there can be no expectation of His honor’s reward in the blessings of life. In Christ, we’ve already been given a seat of honor right by His side, but it will only be occupied by those who live like it is of the highest worth. Against threats of offense, pride, and apathy, their honoring hearts will be kept in love, mercy, and favor. Notes Honor from God requires honor for Him 1 Samuel 2:30 (NLT) 30 “… But I will honor those who honor me, and I will despise those who think lightly of me. Honor – served value Honor’s Threats Offense Ignorance Pride Reasoning Offense Familiarity devalues/disables honor and its blessing Matthew 13:53-58 (NLT) 53 When Jesus had finished telling these stories and illustrations, he left that part of the country. 54 He returned to Nazareth, his hometown. When he taught there in the synagogue, everyone was amazed and said, “Where does he get this wisdom and the power to do miracles?” 55 Then they scoffed, “He’s just the carpenter’s son, and we know Mary, his mother, and his brothers—James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas. 56 All his sisters live right here among us. Where did he learn all these things?” 57 And they were deeply offended and refused to believe in him. Then Jesus told them, “A prophet is honored everywhere except in his own hometown and among his own family.” 58 And so he did only a few miracles there because of their unbelief. Honor of spouse determines level of God’s honor. 1 Peter 3:7 (NLT) 7 In the same way, you husbands must give honor to your wives. Treat your wife with understanding as you live together. She may be weaker than you are, but she is your equal partner in God’s gift of new life. Treat her as you should so your prayers will not be hindered. Ignorance Threat to God’s honor in the dishonor of our bodies 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 (NLT) 19 Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, 20 for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body. Knowledge of God’s will enables honor of what He treasures Colossians 1:9-10 (NLT) 9 So we have not stopped praying for you since we first heard about you. We ask God to give you complete knowledge of his will and to give you spiritual wisdom and understanding. 10 Then the way you live will always honor and please the Lord, and your lives will produce every kind of good fruit. All the while, you will grow as you learn to know God better and better. Pride Put God’s honor on level of other’s John 5:43-44 (NLT) 43 For I have come to you in my Father’s name, and you have rejected me. Yet if others come in their own name, you gladly welcome them. 44 No wonder you can’t believe! For you gladly honor each other, but you don’t care about the honor that comes from the one who alone is God. What is chosen in life – expresses level of honor Romans 2:7-11 (NLT) 7 He will give eternal life to those who keep on doing good, seeking after the glory and honor and immortality that God offers. 8 But he will pour out his anger and wrath on those who live for themselves, who refuse to obey the truth and instead live lives of wickedness. 9 There will be trouble and calamity for everyone who keeps on doing what is evil—for the Jew first and also for the Gentile. 10 But there will be glory and honor and peace from God for all who do good—for the Jew first and also for the Gentile. 11 For God does not show favoritism. Greatest honor of God in the care of the less regarded 1 Corinthians 12:23-24 (NLT) 23 And the parts we regard as less honorable are those we clothe with the greatest care. So we carefully protect those parts that should not be seen, 24 while the more honorable parts do not require this special care. So God has put the body together such that extra honor and care are given to those parts that have less dignity. Honor of His is honor of Him Matthew 25:40 (NLT) 40 “And the King will say, ‘I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!’ Reasoning Human reasoning argues against God’s Word Matthew 15:8-9 (NLT) 8 ‘These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. 9 Their worship is a farce, for they teach man-made ideas as commands from God.’” Considering a God encounter/servant like any other Matthew 22:8,11-12 (NLT) 8 And he said to his servants, ‘The wedding feast is ready, and the guests I invited aren’t worthy of the honor. Casual/dishonorable preparation 11 “But when the king came in to meet the guests, he noticed a man who wasn’t wearing the proper clothes for a wedding. 12 ‘Friend,’ he asked, ‘how is it that you are here without wedding clothes?’ But the man had no reply. Enabling honor Consider life to be service John 12:25-26 (NLT) 25 Those who love their life in this world will lose it. Those who care nothing for their life in this world will keep it for eternity. 26 Anyone who wants to serve me must follow me, because my servants must be where I am. And the Father will honor anyone who serves me. Overview: Honor is the serving of a valued person. Our encounter of God is dependent on our honor of Him. As there is great potential in the honor of God, there are great threats that will disable it. Offense justifies dishonor because of familiarity with humanity and faults. Failing to know a worth can disable its honorable treatment. An assumed position above (pride) disables honor for those worthy of it. When known truth is manipulated to avoid honor’s service, reasoning has disabled honor. A heart for serving others above self preserves its ability to honor and receive honor’s reward. Prayer As I come boldly to Your throne because of the honor You’ve shown me in Christ, fill me with a heart of honor for You and all that is Yours. Help my life to be filled with serving Your treasures in all I do and say. Declarations: I am passionate about living more and more in the honor of and from God. By keeping others lifted up in the Spirit, familiarity with them is kept from disabling honor of them. By the Word and in prayer, I am filled with the knowledge of God’s treasures, along with the ability to serve them with great honor. As I humble myself in the awesome presence of God, I am kept in a position that can push others up in honor. Rather than manipulating information to justify dishonor, I willingly submit to obeying honor above self. I do not have love for this life as motivation for what I honor, but am driven by a heart to serve the Lord and all that is His.