Wikipedia says: HONOUR is an abstract concept entailing a perceived quality of worthiness and respectability that affects both the social standing and the self-evaluation of an individual or corporate body.
Unfortunately, today honor is a concept of life (a value if you will) that we are losing in today’s value-free society. Very few seem to have any idea of honor either in their daily lives, their relationships or their work.
I’ve been asking myself, what does it mean to be a person of honour?
In the Old Testament, the Bible uses several different Hebrew words that are translated “honor.” These carry the idea of magnificence or splendor.
In the New Testament, the main Greek word translated “honor” means “to praise or to revere.” It has its origin in a Greek word meaning “VALUABLE.”
You were born with honour. God honours your life! You are valued by God.
Not only are YOU valued, but how often do you stop to think how much he values the PEOPLE around you? Not just the Christians or the good people. But even those that society may consider evil or bad. He values their life.
You see, everyone has value in the eyes of God!
I know we believe that but do we always live that way?? Do we live with honour and honour others?
I want to challenge us all today to say…
1) Be a person of honour – honor is what makes every person great.
What makes you honorable?
The dictionary defines it as personal integrity; allegiance to moral principles.
BE the best you can be until your heart beats it’s last on this earth.
Simply, everyday you are constantly presented with moments, opportunities situations where you always get to decide who you will be, how you will react, what you will do or say.
CHOOSE HONOUR!
EXAMPLES: What we say, how we spend our time, how we treat others when we’re having a “bad day”, maybe doing things that you think you’ll never got caught for, what do you do passing by those in need, seeing an elderly person alone in a coffee shop…
Just think about it, what would our society be like without people of honour? With no one placing value on each other or on anything?
Let’s build a REPUTATION of honour.
Many people in history we honour for the BIG things they did but I could guarantee they had honour in small things too. And because they chose to be people of honour in the small things I truly believe God opened doors of opportunity where they could make a huge impact with other people!
James 5:10-11: Take the old prophets as your mentors. They put up with anything, went through everything, and never once quit, all the time honoring God. What a gift life is to those who stay the course! You’ve heard, of course, of Job’s staying power, and you know how God brought it all together for him at the end. That’s because God cares, cares right down to the last detail.
In your life, care right down to the last detail. You’ll be amazed what happens!
On Sunday we honoured Lead Callahan, a gal who attends and volunteers at our church (Springs Church in Calgary). She is 25 and will be competing in the Summer Olympics in London on August 9th. She’s competing in Women’s Wrestling and is one of the top 18 in her class. She shared how 2 years ago when she decided she would try to qualify for the Olympics she wasn’t consistent in placing in the top positions in her competitions. And then about a year ago her and her friends were looking for a community and found Springs. Ever since being part of church, and learning & growing in her walk with God Leah said that her gifts and skills have just grown leaps in bounds. They’ve grown in ways where her coaches are just amazed! And basically the church listened to her give all the glory to maker and her creator, GOD.
2) Honour God!
2 Thessalonians 1:11-12: Because we know that this extraordinary day is just ahead, we pray for you all the time—pray that our God will make you fit for what he’s called you to be, pray that he’ll fill your good ideas and acts of faith with his own energy so that it all amounts to something. If your life honors the name of Jesus, he will honor you. Grace is behind and through all of this, our God giving himself freely, the Master, Jesus Christ, giving himself freely.
GIVE YOURSELF FREELY TO GOD in everyway!
When you worship God at church don’t be shy, just let your heart enter into worship freely. In all that you do honour God – give him your best.
You know when you go somewhere and have an experience where someone doesn’t give you their best you feel cheated, but God ALWAYS GIVES YOU HIS BEST!
Read His Word and honour everything He says, all that He promises you.
Psalm 112:1-10: Hallelujah! Blessed man, blessed woman, who fear God, Who cherish and relish his commandments, Their children robust on the earth, And the homes of the upright—how blessed! Their houses brim with wealth And a generosity that never runs dry. Sunrise breaks through the darkness for good people— God’s grace and mercy and justice! The good person is generous and lends lavishly; No shuffling or stumbling around for this one, But a sterling and solid and lasting reputation. Unfazed by rumor and gossip, Heart ready, trusting in God, Spirit firm, unperturbed, Ever blessed, relaxed among enemies, They lavish gifts on the poor— A generosity that goes on, and on, and on. An honored life! A beautiful life!
Another way we honour God is by HOW we honour others!
3) Honour Others
Do you honour the people in your world? Those you encounter in your everyday life?
I was in a grocery store the other day and an elderly man passed me in an aisle. He greeted me with a hello that made me feel like we’ve known each other for years. I instantly tried to figure out where I knew him from (thinking that it would be embarrassing if I forgot his name or something). When I got to the till he was the clerk and I realized that we did not know each other. But his wonderful HELLO had made me feel like we had known each other for years.
How would your conversations with people change if you greeted every person like you’ve know them for years? WOW, what honour they would experience from you.
Give everyone the benefit of the doubt.
LOVE. ACCEPT. FORGIVE > when you do it opens amazing doors of opportunity to share God’s love with people.
You don’t know how you honouring someone’s life, someone’s presence, their thoughts can impact their story.
Often when people go on to do great things at some point in their life they give a speech and you’ll hear about all the people that helped get them to where they are. I want to be someone that helps build other’s stories. We all need people like that in our own life so why not challenge yourself to do it for others?
I remember a time in high school where we all wrote one nice thing about each other on a piece of paper and we got to keep it to remember! I loved that activity and we all felt so honoured by each other.
I heard a story about a solder who died in combat and on his person was the very same sheet of paper. A list of things that all his classmates said about him! Wow. Years later he still had that paper. I can see him opening it and reading it when he’s experiencing hard times, when he felt like a failure. We really don’t know how far our words and acts of honour go!
We often get so busy in our lives that we don’t leave time for others. We are running late for one appointment and booking our days with activities back to back. I want to challenge us all: make the time in your schedule to talk to those who come across your path, and really listen!
Hebrews 13:1-4: Stay on good terms with each other, held together by love. Be ready with a meal or a bed when it’s needed. Some have extended hospitality to angels without ever knowing it! Regard prisoners as if you were in prison with them. Look on victims of abuse as if what happened to them had happened to you
BE READY!
When someone lets you down or says horrible things about you, how can you still honour them anyway? When someone tells you off in traffic, send them a BIG smile!
The leaders and pastors in your life who love you and do their best to coach and lead you – how do you honour them?
What about your family? Your closest loved ones? Let’s place honour on their life!
James 3:17-18: Real wisdom, God’s wisdom, begins with a holy life and is characterized by getting along with others. It is gentle and reasonable, overflowing with mercy and blessings, not hot one day and cold the next, not two-faced. You can develop a healthy, robust community that lives right with God and enjoy its results only if you do the hard work of getting along with each other, treating each other with dignity and honor.
AN HONOURED LIFE IS A BEAUTIFUL LIFE!
