To honor is “to value, see as weighty and precious.” If the object of our honor is a person, specifically one who is in authority, honor carries the meaning of respect and reverence.
For a moment, let’s consider how the Gospels illustrated how individuals honored Jesus Christ. Never was a man more loved, never was a man more adored and never was a man more hated and never was a man more despised.
Some fell at His feet and kissed them.
Some bowed to him in absolute awe and total worship and abandoned love.
Some acknowledged him as the one who fulfilled all their hopes and all their dreams and all their desires for time and eternity.
Others spit on him.
Mocked him.
Betrayed him.
Matter of fact, people still lie on Jesus (that’s a plug for another post).
The people in Jesus's hometown of Nazareth acknowledged that His words were wise and His works were mighty. However, they didn't believe that He was worthy of honor as a prophet.
Here’s the crazy thing, Jesus had been preaching here, there, and everywhere. He was opening up blind eyes, casting out demons, turning water to wine...and then he gets to Nazareth and he couldn’t NOT do miracles there.
Nazareth was slightly different from the other places he preached. The people there had seen Him grow up. They knew His family. But, they didn’t respect Him as the Messiah. They probably said to themselves, “Who does He think He is? He’s no different from any of us.”
Individuals that are favored, gifted, and/or anointed are always faced with this predicament. Those with the gift of discerning of spirits can hear the murmurs of:
“Why him”?
“Why her”?
“I’m smart too”.
“What about me”?
“I wish that I could _____ like him/her”.
“He’s not special”.
“She’s not special”.
“I can do it better”.
Let’s get back to the story, instead of welcoming and honoring Him, they were offended at Him. They criticized Him and belittled His ministry. Jesus said out of his own mouth, “A prophet is not without honor except in his own country and in his own house” (Matt. 13:57).
As a result, this happened👇🏾
He did not do many mighty works there because of their unbelief” (Matt. 13:58).
Miracles were shut down BECAUSE OF DISHONOR.
In the past month weeks, I’ve had to do multiple “double takes” of several individuals that blatantly dishonor authority. I grew up hearing my father tell me, “respect your elders”. I use to get backhanded if I addressed an adult without the title(s):
Mr.
Mrs.
Miss.
Ma’am
Sir
Etc.
As it relates to ministry, it seems as if there is some sort of mortal- kombat for superficial relevance. Is honor merely the recognition of a title or position or is it a position of the heart? The Lord said this to me loud and Sunday, August 11th at 7:56 pm, “People don’t fear me enough to honor my anointed ones”.
The ability to honor individuals that are in a position of leadership, despite their age, your opinion of them or relationship to you, has evidently become a notion of bad karma.
Contrary to popular belief, an individual’s ability to honor is directly connected to how they feel about God.
You can’t love God and dishonor the individuals that he anointed to lead you.
Honor is bigger than verbal respect.
Honor is bigger than clapping when your name is called from the pulpit.
Honor is a position of the heart.
Honor is an outward demonstration of a person’s relationship with God.
God is still requiring his children to honor and respect authority. Even though it may require us to eat every single fruit of the spirit...God expects us to honor his own.
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