Weekend Wrap-Up… and musings on HONOR.
On Saturday, my daughter had her first gymnastics meet of the season. She finished 1st on bars and 2nd all-around at the Chattanooga Classic. Next stop is Nashville in two weeks, then Tampa in January. Proud of you, Steph!
I shared a message this weekend about honor. We live in a culture where everyone wants to receive honor, but few are disciplined in giving honor. We see in Mark 6:1-6 how Jesus could do no mighty work in his hometown of Nazareth because of the people’s culture of dishonor.
Here are four thoughts about HONOR:
1. Familiarity, underestimated and under-appreciated, breeds dishonor… that’s why it is so important to be intentional about honoring the people in our lives.
Jesus said, “Only in his hometown, among his relatives and in his own house is a prophet without honor.” The townspeople saw Jesus as nothing more than a common carpenter; the illegitimate son of Mary, perhaps. The phrase “without honor” means to dishonor; to treat as common or ordinary. We must be careful not to allow familiarity, especially with what is routine in our lives be treated as common or ordinary. When we do, the natural gravitation will be a bent toward dishonor.
Pastor… don’t esteem common what God is doing in your church right now; it is very much uncommon, unique, and extraordinary (esteem it with honor, praise God for it). Leaders… don’t think for one moment that your staff is ordinary; they are exceptional people with uncommon skill sets and rare giftedness (celebrate them). Spouse… that’s not just a ‘carpenter’ (a role player) you are married to, that is a son or daughter of the King. Treat them as such. Congregations… give double honor to your shepherd leaders (1 Timothy 5:17). We need to restore honor in our generation and it must begin with the household of faith; in our churches and in our homes.
2. When we allow a culture of dishonor to pervade, we forfeit countless blessings, and fall well short of the excellence God intends for our lives.
Jesus was God (sovereign and omnipotent), but he was still limited by what he could do in Nazareth because of their dishonoring culture. This is a mystery we will never grasp with such finite human understanding, yet it rouses us to ponder: What stories or testimonies did God want to come out of Nazareth that never got written? What mighty works of God did they miss out on? How was history rewritten because they failed to give honor where honor was due? Imagine what great victories in our lives have been compromised because of areas in our past where we failed to honor God and the people that God has put in our lives. We can rewrite the present… we can change the future… we can restore honor… we can see God do unimaginable feats in our lives when we no longer treat things as common or ordinary, namely the people around us.
3. If we are to restore honor in our generation, someone must lead the revolution.
The only place in Scripture where God tells us to outdo one another is in the area of honor (Romans 12:9-10). The people of God have had a reputation for many things in recent history, but a reputation for outdoing one another in honor is not one of them. Paul said, “Let love be genuine… outdo one another in showing honor.” This word “outdo” means to run out ahead and lead the way by being an example. Rangers, lead the way!
4. Honor is not about what someone deserves; it’s about what you decide.
When you honor whom God tells you to honor, you honor your God. When you dishonor those whom God tells you to honor, you dishonor God. Decide to honor God in every relationship and aspect of your life, and God promises a life of blessing, favor, and even peace when it comes to our enemies. Honor changes the game for you, and for them. Jesus said, “If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him.” (John 12:26 ESV) God honors those who show honor.
What if creating a culture of honor were to open up for you a season of blessing you’ve never experienced before? What if…