We just love to say, “We are living in a culture of honor at our church,” and it’s highly likely, at least on some level, that’s true. But after having spoken to quite a few people about what their idea of honor is, more often than not, it seems their practice of honor is more about having the admiration of others, rather than actually being someone of honor. Honor? Honor? What is honor, and that’s honor from God’s perspective, not Mirriam-Webster.
Honor, as is mentioned in Genesis 34:19, is the same word used for “glory” in many places. So, what’s up with that? i always thought glory was glory, and well, to be transparent about it, i didn’t have much of an idea of what honor was. Why did the translators choose, for the same Hebrew word, glory in one place and honor in another? Have you searched it out?
i’m surrounded by people who throw the word honor around left and right, but truthfully, upon further inquiry, i’ve found they don’t really have much context for what God means either. Although, to use that word in church surely does make us sound awfully spiritual, doesn’t it?
To my surprise, as i said, it is often the same word for glory except there’s a bit of a turn in how it’s used to convey what we perceive as honor. i think it’s also a necessary mention that three times in Proverbs, the Lord says humility is before honor. Humility first, THEN honor. How many people say they live in a culture of humility? They say they do but do they really? How can you tell? What’s your evidence? i’m not saying they don’t and my heart is not to cast shadows on anyone, but, hey, we say a LOT of stuff to look good but our actual understanding is thin, to say the least. Listen though, that’s not honor in just everyone having value, but honor as something of the Lord which lives in us which gives us our buffed to a high luster good-looks.
God’s intent is that every son walk in “kabod”, which, in this case, we’re speaking of “honor”, not just glory as “glowing grandeur, and weighty presence”, although honor does have real weight, but more something we possess as a refuge for hope, safety, care, and assurance for others, which are attributes of “valor”. A “mighty man of valor” was someone who was willing to bleed for a cause, and the Lord is highly honored and demands the greatest respect as someone of the highest valor. He is our standard of someone who walks in the highest honor, commands the greatest respect, and always acts in righteous valor. Having honor is not a result of keeping rules, but as who we are. Does our character reflect the Honor of the Lord? Can we honor a completely dishonorable person?
The opposite of “honor” is when the “refuge is violated”, meaning betrayal, it is disgrace, shame, disrespect, and contempt. It implies contempt or being lightly esteemed and Proverbs 3:35 contrasts the wise who inherit honor with fools who get dishonor. Look at this. Leviticus 20:17 literally means “nakedness” or exposure and figuratively is dishonor through shameful uncovering. Zippers up, skirts down, let us be people of honor. Friends, honor has weight.
When honor tips over into dishonor, or a “violated refuge” so to speak, what was once glowing and weighty character becomes “qalal”, a curse, weightless and thinner than a shadow, and is a common traveling companion of dis-esteem, no respect, and disdain. Dishonor breeds contempt, and causes others to think in terms of scorn as an action. Malachi 1:6 speaks of treating the Lord without proper “respect” as in they did not “honor” Him, with “respect” being a subset of honor. Now that’s interesting to me: respect as a subset of honor.
Now here is a good, think worthy question: Is it moral for believers to look to be honored? Some would say it very much depends on how you’re looking for it, why you’re seeking it, and what you do with it once you receive it. “i deserve to be honored”, certainly has an entitled ring to it. “i hope people notice how much i give”, sounds more like someone needs validation. “i orchestrate situations so people praise me”, that’s terribly manipulative. Are you conflicted because you feel you are owned honor due to your self-perceived exceptionalism? Wouldn’t be better to simply trust God and wait on Him to point you out rather than find ways to point yourself out? True honor comes from God. Remember: humility comes BEFORE honor, right?
We must decide these things if we’re going to pass out titles. On one hand if someone is elected to public office, we have no problem addressing them as deputy, counselor, judge, senator, or any other title which comes with the election. But it’s odd how, within the church, many quickly run to get a title, and how others play down having the title. Consider again, humility precedes honor. Let us consider carefully, Jesus totally blamed the Pharisees for loving the first places at feasts, the first chairs in the synagogues, they loved being recognized in public, and getting titles of honor for themselves. He told His disciples not to be called Rabbi, Father, or Master, like the Pharisees; the greatest among His disciples should be the servant of all; whosoever exalts himself shall be humbled, and the one who humbles themselves himself shall be exalted.
In my efforts to understand honor, i kept seeing the term “high mindedness”, an archaic term meaning arrogant, or haughty. If we practice “high mindedness”, thinking more highly of ourselves than we should, in truth, it can’t actually be a virtue, but only implied virtue, it is merely an outer shining which intensifies our own glowing exterior. Real honor is grown in us by the Lord and is a glow from the inside out. An authentic honorable person is someone who is humble first. Giving legitimate and authoritative honor is when we extend recognition of another’s worth or station, we gave honor and respect, they didn’t extract from us. As a result we show honor to someone by giving them their title if they have one, and by raising our hat to them, yielding to them a place of precedence.
Is where you fellowship, the people you hang out with, are you safe there? To be someone of honor means, in our character, God has worked steadiness that others would see us as a well established pier to stabilize the body. Fearlessness, and compassion are to honor, as holiness and righteousness are to God. Catch that, it’s important. The breath of God imparts honor, and honor imparts inspiration to those who live life often at a pinch point, and maybe they are at their best at a pinch point.
What do you think?
i’m Social Porter with Living In His Name Ministries.