1 Peter 2:17 Honor all people. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king.
The words Peter wrote under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit have been stirring in my heart. Especially the first words, “Honor all people.”
When Peter wrote these words the Christians in that day were being persecuted and were under fire. They were going through trials of their faith, much of which was being caused by people who hated and despised them. So when Peter wrote that the believers should honor all people, he was including those who were their enemies and persecutors as well as the governing authorities. All people means all people not just the ones we like, agree with or agree with us.
To honor someone means we give them value, we elevate them and esteem them. We can give honor to someone based on their position or office. If the President of Guatemala came into the room we would give honor to him because of his position of authority. We may have fear of the person because they have power over us to make our life miserable or more difficult. The authority may be benevolent and our motivation of honoring him is perhaps to get their approval for something we want or need. Our self preservation may kick in and influence our behavior. If a police officer pulls you over for speeding or some other infraction you will do whatever you can to show honor and respect for him or her because they have power over you. It is like a survival mechanism kicks in and you do what you need to do to escape what may happen to you. You will respond in a way to protect yourself and speak in a way that you hope will lessen the fine or get you off the hook. Our motive may be purely for self preservation and have nothing to do with truly honoring the police officer with a sincere heart. We put on our best behavior, our nicest voice, using terms of respect etc. to try to impress the officer and keep us from more trouble. And as soon as we are away from them we revert to our normal attitude toward them which may be good or bad. In this sense we are giving honor more to the position the person is in and the power he has over us rather than the personal worth or value of the person. Honoring the position of the person is not a bad thing but there is a deeper motivation for honor that I believe God wants us to practice in every relationship all the time.
Honoring people has to be base not on what they do or their behaviors but rather on who they are as persons created in the image of God. Because they are valued by God and are eternal souls created in God’s image and likeness, we are to give them honor. If we base honor on position and power we will give greater honor to a select group and overlook those who are less powerful or are considered marginal by society. James wrote about this problem in the church where people of wealth were given seats of honor while the poor were dishonored and made to sit down by the footstool, a lowly place. (James 2:1-6) Dishonoring the poor is practiced in many nations today. India has a caste system that is supposedly disbanded and not recognized by the government but in actuality it still exists among the people. There are still outcasts and untouchables who have little value other than doing all the dirty work the other classes will not do.
I visited the Potter’s House ministry at the dump in Guatemala City recently. They work with the children and parents who live and work in the dump. Both children and adults, 10,500 each day, are rummaging through the dump seeking for anything they can sell or recycle. Many people call them Scavengers but the Potter’s House calls them God’s treasures because they see the people through God’s eyes and not man’s. These people are every bit as valuable to God as anyone else. By calling them God’s Treasures, they are giving them the honor and respect that they deserve. It is so easy for us to use derogatory terms toward people we don’t like or who have some fatal flaws. He is a drunk. She is worthless. He is a mooch. She is a moron. We can all add words that we have used to label people based on their behavior. We may not have said these words to their face but nonetheless we have either thought them or spoken them to others. All these words and labels demean the other person and dishonor them for what God has made them.
We honor God’s creation also by recognizing the destiny God has for each person. We may look at a person’s past or their present situation and find it difficult to want to express honor. But if we look at that person based on the potential God has placed in them we can honor them for what they can become in Christ. I can honor them by supporting the design and purpose God has for their lives. We need to speak to that destiny, call it out, confirm it in the lives of people who are confused, lost and may not even be aware of what God has destined for them.
We can look at several stories in the Bible that bring out the importance of honor. One of the first displays of dishonor and honor involved Noah and his sons. Genesis 9:20-27
After the flood, Noah imbibed in a little too much wine and basically passed out in his tent. He had taken off all his clothes and was lying on the ground. Ham dishonored his father by looking on his nakedness while his brothers Shem and Japheth did the honorable thing and covered up their father without looking at him. Ham was quick to take advantage of his father who was in a state where he was not aware of what he had done. His disrespect for his father brought on a curse while the respect and honor shown by Shem and Japheth was rewarded with prosperity. They honored their father in spite of his condition while Ham exploited the situation. When people are at their weakest or displaying bad behavior do we show them honor or dishonor them by taking advantage of them or speaking evil against them? When we show honor to people at their weakest point we honor God and will be blessed.
Another incident of showing honor involved David when he was fleeing from Saul (1 Sam. 24:1-15). David had the opportunity to sneak up on Saul and put him to death while he was in the same cave as Saul. Saul was unaware of David’s presence while he relieved himself in the cave. David rejected the advice of his men to take advantage of the situation and kill Saul but instead he only cut off part of his garment. David did not want to kill Saul but he wanted him to know that he had spared his life and the piece of his garment would be a constant reminder to him. In this situation David had power over Saul and he could have used this power for his own benefit but he refused. We may look at David’s actions as justified, after all Saul had attempted to kill him on a couple of occasions and even then was in hot pursuit of David to put him to death. If anyone was justified in seeking revenge or relieving himself from all the trouble Saul brought it was David. Yet after David cut the garment he was convicted of his actions because he did not show honor to the man God had anointed as king of Israel. How many times have we felt justified in our actions of dishonoring another person because of what they have done to us? When we are offended, taken advantage of, had things stolen or destroyed by others, falsely accused or cursed by someone we can quickly justify a retaliatory response and feel like we have not done anything wrong because they deserved it! We have to guard our heart from acting or reacting with a spirit of revenge or justification and seek to demonstrate honor to those who have wronged us.
We are commanded by God to honor our parents.(Ex. 20:12) It comes with a reward of a long and good life. We honor our parents because they have given us life and brought us into the world. They created our lives and through them we have the opportunity to receive eternal life. Even if they were horrible, abusive, and negligent and perhaps rejected us or abandoned us, they were still used of God to bring us into existence. Our birth was part of God’s plan and our parents were instruments God used to bring us into existence. Through our physical birth, we have been given the privilege of knowing God and becoming one of His children who will dwell with Him for eternity. Your parents have given you an awesome, invaluable gift in spite of what they did or did not do for you. They should be honored because they gave you life. For many people this is a huge step to take because of the abuse that has happened and the pain that they carry in their hearts. I believe the healing process can begin when we take this first step of honoring our parents in spite of their failures.
In my life as a teenager I struggled with truly honoring my dad. He was a good provider for our family but he had some flaws that really affected me. I joined the US Army when I as 18 in part to get away from a home situation that was very hard on me. As difficult as Basic Training was, I was glad to be away from home and not have to deal with the things that were there. While in the military, I rededicated my life to Christ and began to really understand what it meant to have a personal relationship with Him. Through many people God placed in my life I began to see how I had not honored my dad as well as other people. God changed my heart toward my dad and when I returned home, I began to treat him with more honor and respect. There were still times of difficulty but I strived to always honor my dad and our relationship changed for the better. The last month of my dad’s life I was able to help care for him. We talked about things I had never addressed and I learned a lot about my dad. On the night he died in our home, I knelt down beside him as he lay dead on the bathroom floor and held his head in my lap and thanked God for the life of my dad and for the life he had given me. I regret that I had not shared those same words with my dad while he was alive and I encourage each of you to not wait to show honor to your parents and thank them for giving you life.
The Bible also commands us to show double honor to those who have ruled well and have given themselves to share the Word of God.
Let the elders who rule well be counted worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in the word and doctrine. 1 Thes 5:17
And we urge you, brethren, to recognize those who labor among you, and are over you in the Lord and admonish you, and to esteem [honor] them very highly in love for their work’s sake. 1 Thes. 5:12, 13
It is an awesome privilege and responsibility to share the Word of God with others. It cannot be taken lightly thus the preparation time and constant study of the Word is imperative for the healthy growth of the church. Those who labor in this regard are to be given double honor because of the value and importance it plays in the life of the believer.
We are also to give honor to one another by giving preference to each other.
Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another; Rom. 12:10
We show honor to others by giving preference to them. We prefer them over ourselves, we step aside and let them go first. I used to teach in a Christian school and when it was time to leave the class to go somewhere the students would line up at the door. It was always a race to see who would be first and often there was pushing and shoving to be the head of the line. Many times I would have the children do an about face which then made the last person in line the first as a way to teach them to not continue this behavior as it worked against them and did not show preference to others. We give preference to others when we allow them to go first to get what they need or when we allow them to do what they think is best instead of demanding our way. Some issues are worth fighting for but I think many things really have little significance in the grand scheme of life and by giving preference to the other person we promote unity among us. Some people have the “my way or the highway” mentality. They are so self centered that it is difficult or next to impossible for them to let others have their say or their way. These people get offended when their way is not followed. They have not learned how to give preference to others and they will constantly face opposition and create ill will until they make changes. Some people because of their personality may be shy and find it hard to vocalize their needs or desires. They need to be drawn out, invited to share and listened to or they will feel slighted or overlooked and may think they are being treated as second class citizens. When we give preference to them we honor them and acknowledge their ideas and contributions as being valuable.
We give preference to others by knowing what it is they like. As we get to know people, their likes and dislikes, we can give them the things that will bring joy and satisfaction. If I do not take time to get to know the other person I will not know what things they prefer. Sometimes it is not always possible to give people their preferences but when we can we need to make an effort to do so. It goes a long way in promoting good relationships and makes people feel that they are valued and honored for who they are. I remember going on a mission trip to Mexico with about 50 people. Feeding a group like that took a lot of planning and we could not cater to everyone’s preference. One lady who was on her first trip came through the line to get her food and when she was handed her piece of buttered bread, she commented, “I prefer to have my bread buttered on all four corners.” This was not a preference that we could accommodate at that moment and to be honest it torqed the cook who had been laboring for quite awhile to make a great meal for us. She did not say anything but you could have cooked an egg on her head. You can take a request like this and think that this person should just be grateful to have a nice hot meal and blow it off. Or the next time you butter the bread you could put it on all four corners as she preferred and show honor to her. It is a small thing but meaningful at least to that person.
Paul in writing to the church in Rome emphasized the need to honor every part of the body of Christ. Each part is important and the parts that seem to be weaker or less honorable need to be given more honor. The hidden people or the small people as BP has termed them need to be given more honor than those who get the most attention. We must recognize publicly the contributions of the people who are in the background who really are instrumental in making things happen. When I was in India I was treated with great honor. I was not used to this type of treatment and it was a little hard for me to receive it. Yet I knew that if I did not accept it I would offend the people who were honoring and preferring me. Everything that happened was made possible through the people who worked behind the scenes to organize the meetings and crusades. These are the people who need to be given special honor and recognition and the evangelist I went with made it a point to acknowledge them as well as all the people who had been praying for the crusade.
But now indeed there are many members, yet one body. And the eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you”; nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” No, much rather, those members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary. And those members of the body which we think to be less honorable, on these we bestow greater honor; and our unpresentable parts have greater modesty, Rom 12:20-23
Special honor is to be given to those who have endured hard times because of their faith in Christ.
Indeed we count them blessed [give great honor]who endure. You have heard of the perseverance of Job and seen the end intended by the Lord—that the Lord is very compassionate and merciful. James 5:11
I had the honor of meeting Richard Wurmbrand who was known for all the torture he went through when he as a pastor in communist Russia. I read the book about his life called, “Tortured for his faith” and it has made a lasting impression on me. When he came to speak at my church, there was a great sense of honor for this man who endured unbelievable punishment. He has gone on to be with the Lord by the organization he founded called “Voice of the Martyrs” continues to bring awareness of the persecution of Christians that is happening throughout the world.
Another important area in which honor needs to be shown is the institution of marriage. The writer of Hebrews stressed “Marriage is honorable among all, and the bed undefiled; but fornicators and adulterers God will judge.” Heb 13:4
. It is not to be cheapened and dishonored through pre or extra marital sexual relations. It is a sacred and holy union between two people who have taken vows to honor and cherish each other for life. Marriage is under attack today, it is not being held in honor as a covenant between a man and a woman. Marriage is being redefined and has been extended to include same sex couples. Last week the news reported that same sex marriage has now been legalized in Argentina, the first Latin American country to do this. The marriage bed is being defiled and God will judge those who have robbed it of its sanctity.
Coupled with this is the admonition to husbands to give honor to the wife. Failure to honor her will hinder prayers being answered. God takes it seriously enough to not respond to the prayers of husbands who do not honor their wives. Someone once said you show honor to your wife by knowing what makes them tick and what ticks them off. Dwell with your wife with understanding. This is not mission impossible! It if was not possible it would not have been written in the Scriptures. Someone has said that it takes 20 years to learn how to love your wife and when you love your wife you understand how to honor her.
Husbands, likewise, dwell with them with understanding, giving honor to the wife, as to the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life, that your prayers may not be hindered. 1 Pt. 3:7
The final area of honor that Paul writes to the Corinthian church is to honor our body and spirit which are God’s property.
For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify [honor] God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s. 1 Cor. 6:20
The city of Corinth was filled with prostitution. Men thought nothing of going to the temple prostitutes and having sex with them. In the Roman culture a wife was used to bear children and a prostitute was used to fulfill man’s sexual desires. Paul’s admonition to them was that this physical union was more than just a physical thing but it was the uniting of spirits. Our bodies and our spirit belong to God and we must take care of it and use it to bring honor to God. We can extend the meaning of this to also include how we take care of our bodies in what we eat, the rest we give it, and the physical exercise we do to keep it functioning properly. We make this part of our DTS because our bodies are an instrument that God uses for ministry and if we do not care for it properly we will be limited in our ministry.
God is a God of honor and it is evident in the relationship between the members of the Trinity. They each honor and glorify each other. Honor is an important part in the life of the believer and it must be given to all. We are to be a culture of honor to a world that seems to value dishonor. The challenge of showing honor comes to each one of us every day in our interactions with others and the thoughts we express in words or keep to ourselves. Seek ways you can demonstrate honor to all. Learn to give preference to others and value them for who they are and the divine destiny God has for them. Give special honor to your parents, to those who have suffered for their faith and to those who bring God’s word to you. Honor the institution of marriage as a sacred trust between a man and woman; don’t let anything or anyone strip it of its value. Husbands seek ways to show honor to your wife and value her as God does. Finally, honor God with your body and spirit by treating it with respect and care because it truly belongs to God
