The measuring stick for giving honor is the extent to which the recipient believes him or herself to be honored, the extent to which they consider themselves to be appreciated. It follows that honor can most effectively be communicated in an atmosphere of love and thanksgiving. People feel loved and respected only when they believe the things and people they love are respected. Thus, in order to honor a person there must be a sense of genuine appreciation not just for the individual but also for the things that person most values, those things that are most meaningful to him or her, those things they find fulfilling in their lives, those things they consider worthy of honor. In the Christian context honor must also be tied to the glory and grace of God. Honor should therefore focus on the intersection of God’s gifts and human values. The problem is that leaders tend to honor people for things the leader values without consideration of the values of the person and sometimes without thought of the character of God. Similarly, honor is best demonstrated in an atmosphere of celebration; honor is most genuine when the givers rejoice with the receivers over those things that cause the receiver’s heart to rejoice. In order to “outdo one another in giving honor” we must learn to rejoice without reservation over God’s blessings and presence in one another.
Posted on: Fri, 19 Jul 2013 11:43:58 +0000
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