Honor seems to have taken a back seat in today’s culture. It’s viewed almost like a compliment, a nice thing to do, but not essential. For any act of service to be meaningful, it must be served with honor. Honor is the heartbeat of servanthood.
A true servant serves because they honor the one they are serving. To serve someone without honor is like a best man showing up to a wedding, having just vomited all over the front of his shirt and leaving it there. He didn’t honor the Groom with his presence, but instead filled the wedding hall with a nauseating aroma. Honor would have showered and changed before attending the wedding or would not have attended at all in order to save face. Honor is the foundation of servanthood. It’s what makes your service genuine, showing respect and love in every action.
Why Honor Matters
Honor transforms service into something that reflects the Father’s heart. 1 Peter 2:17 says, “Honor everyone. Love the brothers and sisters. Fear God. Honor the emperor.” When you serve with honor, you show the world the love and respect the Father calls you to, making your actions matter.
What Does Honor Look Like?
- A man of honor finds humility and stays there.
- A man of honor actively looks for opportunities to celebrate another.
- A man of honor will purpose to ensure that another receives due credit.
- A man of honor willingly accepts sacrifice, not trying to avoid it.
- A man of honor is selfless and puts the needs of others before his own.
- A man of honor brings honor to God by serving others.
In Romans chapter 12, Paul begins a discourse on the marks of a true believer in Christ. He writes:
“Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor” (Romans 12:9-10).
What would it look like if we outdid one another in showing honor?
To Serve With Honor
When honor finds its way into your thinking, your behavior will naturally follow. It only takes a moment to change one’s attitude. It’s not something that you “develop”, it’s something you decide upon right now. There is no set “list” for one to follow in order to show honor, as one will show honor to their parents differently than they will show honor to their spouse. Love and humility are fruits found in every act of honor, alongside respect and sacrifice. For example, giving credit to a coworker for their hard work, even when you could take it for yourself, shows honor in action.
When you begin to see the value of honor, you will find yourself doing honorable things. It might be something like giving up your seat on the subway for a pregnant woman or an older man. Or, it might be something like offering to stay late and finish up the project at work, so that your co-worker can go home to her kids. Regardless of how small the honorable act, the Lord sees everything. He sees your attitude and act of selflessness. Even the smallest honorable act advances the ways of God and it will not go unrewarded. When you meet the Lord face to face, won’t it be great to hear Him say, “You served with honor”?