Giving Honor

Romans 13:7 NIV - "Give everyone what you owe him: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor." Keep Reading...

In our day, how does one gain honor? Typically, the higher the status - in title, position, finances or power - the more honor is gained. Worldly standards of importance set the bar for honor. Every now and then, a person rises from the crowd with a heroic act and receives much honor. But these moments of heroism seem fleeting and almost inconsequential to our fast-paced lives.

What is God's standard for honor? In other words, who should be given honor? We need to look back at the beginning of history to answer this question.  Genesis 1:27 says, "God created human beings in his own image." Every person has God's stamp, his certification of authenticity on them. No matter who that person is, they have been created in God's image. That is the final basis for honor. As God is worthy of all our honor, anyone who has been made in his image is also worthy of honor.

How do we show honor? We show honor by not showing favoritism… by treating rich and poor the same, by treating the slum dwellers as you would a king. Actually, Jesus said that whatever we do for the "least of these," we do for him (Matthew 25:40). Whenever we show honor to the "least deserving (by worldly standards)", we show honor to Jesus.

We show honor by being interested in someone else's life. Asking questions shows honor. Walking in another person's shoes (eating their food, learning their language, listening to their stories) shows honor. After we learn a bit more about a person, we can speak affirmations to them. This shows honor.

Honor is given not taken. It cannot be demanded, or else it becomes spoiled. So, be a giver of honor, knowing that you have already been given the greatest honor - to be made in God's image and to know his love and forgiveness.