I received this email invitation recently: The Honorable Richard G.
Lugar former United States Senator from Indiana. Similar, I received
this email from K-Love Christian Radio station: Honor each other (Love
each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each
other. ~ Romans 12:10)
When I see my spouse again, the first thing I am going
to say to him is “It’s been an honor serving with you Captain O’Neill.”
It’s because I never got to say goodbye to him with a sudden death.
It reminds me of the end of the voyage on the television series Star
Trek the Next Generation where Commander Richter looks at Captain
Picard, they just got done visiting another galaxy or fighting Romulans,
and it’s the end of long mission and Commander Richter says, “It’s been
an honor serving with you Captain Picard.”
Joseph had favor
with his master. A little too much favor with his master's wife, but
out of respect for his master and God, he refused her advances. He was
thrown in prison and persecuted for a while, but he eventually ended up
second in command to Pharoah and even over in position than his former
master.
So Potiphar left everything he had in Joseph’s care;
with Joseph in charge, he did not concern himself with anything except
the food he ate. Now Joseph was well-built and handsome, nd after a
while his master’s wife took notice of Joseph and said, “Come to bed
with me!” But he refused. “With me in charge,” he told her, “my master
does not concern himself with anything in the house; everything he owns
he has entrusted to my care. No one is greater in this house than I am.
My master has withheld nothing from me except you, because you are his
wife. How then could I do such a wicked thing and sin against God?”
Genesis 39:1-9
I try to avoid people who have problems with
disrespect and dishonor. Eventually, it’s sort of like dead branches,
they just sort of drop off in my life.
I don’t like to be
around people who disrespect or mistreat animals and children. Jesus
said to “suffer the little children to come unto him for such is the
kingdom of heaven.” Mark 10:14. And it talks about righteous man takes
good care of his animals. If I hear negative comments someone makes
about animals and children, that is a sign that person has respect/honor
issues. I had problems with my husband who did not like animals very
much because of his allergies.
A righteous man cares for the needs of his animal, but the kindest acts of the wicked are cruel. Proverbs 12:10
I believe it’s hard in today’s society at times to give honor when
other people don’t respect us. I still have a problem with boys that
disrespect my property and set my tree on fire in my back yard/woods.
They keep tearing down my “No Trespassing Sign” and the police said to
just keep calling them if they won’t stay out of my woods. It’s like a
big drop off and I know they like swinging from the trees, but I’m
concerned these little boys are going to get hurt. The Bible says,
“Love does no harm to its neighbor”—I don’t want them to do harm to
themselves.
There are physical, emotional and spiritual
oppressions and people who oppress others are part of the enemy’s plot.
They are like lobsters and try to keep others down in life. They lack
vision or ambition. The widow
who came to the unjust it was about an oppressor. A woman bound with an
infirmity, Jesus said that Satan had her bound for 18 years. Several
times it says, “Do not oppress others.”
Do not oppress the widow or the fatherless, the alien or the poor. In your hearts do not think evil of each other.' Zech 7:10
I’m hoping that knowing people in my life brings joy and not grief and
that I don’t say, “I wish I never knew that person.” It talks about how
as spiritual leaders over people that we are to bring them joy. One
time, I tried to tell my pastor’s wife something about her teaching
since many women were complaining about it, and it went over like a
lead balloon and then this man told me that pastor’s wives are the most
difficult people to minister to since they get grief (or rather go
through burnout) on everyone in the church saying something to them. So
I try to keep it very upbeat if I’m talking to a pastor’s wife. I try
to bring more joy and encouragement to their lives. Same with others on
the front line ministry.
Obey your leaders and submit to their
authority. They keep watch over you as men who must give an account.
Obey them so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would
be of no advantage to you. Hebrews 3:17
I’ve experienced male
chauvinism in college classes in computer science and also at church
with men disrespectful attitudes towards women. Nurses deal with it
from some physicians, so do administrative assistants. The attitude
probably came from their fathers.
In Christ, he has broken down
the wall of enmity (hostility) between God and man, but also between
sexes, races and back then it was freedom or being a slave. (There is
neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all
one in Christ Jesus. Galatians 3:28)
Many people
don’t give honor because of some type of jealousy or prejudice. If
you want to be a man of honor than hang out with people who show honor.
Common knowledge that if you hang out with a horse thief, you will
become a horse thief.
Do not be misled: "Bad company corrupts good character." 1 Cor. 15:33
Honor for king (don’t slander the president and political officials) –
we are to put prayer in our mouths for dignitaries–I don’t see anywhere
in the Bible where it says to criticize those in authority. It says if
we have an evil king the people moan and groan. They are in power so we
are to pray for them, not constantly criticize them. I don’t want to
disobey the word of God and have oppression comes against me from the
enemy.
Honor all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king.1 Peter 2:17
Honor dignitaries (military and the police) (Submit yourselves for the
Lord's sake to every authority instituted among men: whether to the
king, as the supreme authority, 1 Peter 2:13)
Honor marriage
(Let marriage be held in honor by all, and the bed undefiled: but
fornicators and adulterers God will judge. Hebrews 13:4)
Honor widows (Honour widows that are widows indeed. 1 Timothy 5:3)
Honor father and mother (You know the commandments: 'Do not murder, do
not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, do not
defraud, honor your father and mother.'" Mark 10:19)
Husbands
honor their wives at the weaker vessel (Husbands, in the same way be
considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect as
the weaker partner and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life,
so that nothing will hinder your prayers. 1 Peter 3:7)
Similarly, wives are to respect their husband. (However, each one of
you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must
respect her husband. Ephesians 5:3)
Most military people
understand honor and we have the example of the man under a commander
that came to Jesus and he told Jesus “Just speak the word and my
daughter will be healed.” Jesus said that he had great faith – it’s
because he respected his word.
Above all honor (fear/respect)
God (our commander and chief) and that is to respect God’s word. Don’t
treat his word as a common book, but the final authority in our lives.
The centurion replied, "Lord, I do not deserve to have you come under
my roof. But just say the word, and my servant will be healed. For I
myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this
one, 'Go,' and he goes; and that one, 'Come,' and he comes. I say to my
servant, 'Do this,' and he does it." When Jesus heard this, he was
astonished and said to those following him, "I tell you the truth, I
have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith. Matthew 8:8-10
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