“Honor your father and mother. Then you will live a long, full life in the land the Lord your God is giving you.” Exodus 20:12
Have we lost the concept of honor completely in our culture? Many do not even understand what honor means and sadly many more live without it daily. Yet, it is an important thread to our society’s health and success.
To honor someone is to ascribe value to them. When you honor a person in your life you make ways to listen differently to them. You don’t quickly dismiss their wisdom, sharing, or insight. It means you show up before them with humility. When meeting a person of honor you place the attention and focus on them.
Who is such a person in your life? Many times you may tend to think of a person who has earned your respect. That could be defined as an honor that is earned. However, there also is an honor that would be defined as ascribed Honor. This honor is given to those who have certain roles in your life. You may not always agree with these individuals and you might not describe them as ones who have earned honor. However, they still deserve ascribed honor because of their role and relationship with you.
An example might be the President of the United States. You may have different political affiliation than the current President and may even believe he has failed you and all other Americans through his particular decisions. Yet, if you were to be in his presence you would show honor even in the way you greeted him, “Hello, Mr. President, it is an honor to meet you.” It still may be true that you disagree with him, but you show him honor. Why? Because he holds the Office of the President of the United States.
Another relationship that calls for ascribed honor is found in the fourth commandment where God instructs us to “Honor your father and mother. Then you will live a long, full life in the land the Lord your God is giving you. (Exodus 20:12). This commandment is the foundation for the biblical understanding in showing honor to those relationships that the Lord has given to us as authorities and caretakers in our lives. It is truly important for the health and success for both you and for our society at large.
Honoring others is what it means to follow Jesus, to be transformed by His life and staying committed to His mission.
Prayer
Lord Jesus, thank You very much for the relationships you have given to us in our lives. While these relationships are not perfect and there are often troubles and disagreements, we thank You for the roles that certain things play in our lives, such as our parents. We thank You for the gift of parents. We pray for our parents and we ask that You would help us to continue to honor them, for they are truly gifts given to us from You. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.