Articles
Honor One Another
Roman 12:10; 1 Peter 2:17
In Romans 12:1-2, Paul states the following, “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God”.
As Christians, there are changes that must take place in our lives. We cannot continue to think like the world and live like the world. In becoming a Christian we’ve made the decision to be different, and to transform both our thinking and our behavior. And, yes, it’s true that being more Christlike is a lifetime process. Yet, that decision isn’t something to be taken lightly. Paul admonishes us to be transformed, by the renewing of our minds. If we will transform our thinking, then our behavior will change. In verses15-17John tells us that we are not to love the world, if we do the love of the Father is not in us.” (cf. 1 John 1.7, 15-17).
Paul continues in Romans 12:3, stating that we are not to think of ourselves more highly than we should, but to think soberly or in the NASV95, to have sound judgment. In verses 9-21, Paul tells us how we should behave as Christians. I read recently that these verses should be our “New Years Resolution.” While I have nothing against a New Year’s Resolution, I prefer thinking of God’s word in my life as our “Everyday Resolution.” As a Christian I should be focused on renewing my mind and aligning my every aspect of my life according to God’s will daily. Someone once said, “When we meditate on the words of God, we meditate on God himself.” The Psalmist said, “On the glorious splendor of your majesty, and on your wondrous works, I will meditate” (Psalm 145.5). This is how we renew our minds.
A verse I want to focus on regarding our honoring one another is verse 10 where Paul says, “Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another”. The English word “honor” is from the Greek word “time” means to “esteem, respect” and to find value”. How do we do that? According to the translation you’re reading from Paul says we do this by “preferring one another” or by “giving preference to one another.” Preferring in our standard English Dictionary has as its first meaning “to like one thing or a person better than another.” That’s not exactly what Paul has in mind in Romans. What Paul has in mind is this. Don’t wait for the other person to go before you to show what honor looks like and it feels like to be honored. You go first. Show the other person by your actions, “I value you.” By placing the value or well-being and dignity of others above our own interests, we demonstrate Christ like love and selflessness. We don’t deny our own needs or desires, but to prioritize the needs of others, recognizing their inherent worth as fellow creations of God. Easy to do, maybe not as we all are most likely always looking to care for self-first, but as we work, play, worship with others, then we should see the soul that has value, as God sees.
Do we look for the good value in a person, or do we find fault. One common theme from these one another lessons from my perspective is every soul is precious, so I need to make sure that my attitude aligns with the attitude about others that Christ is pleased with. While I might feel comfortable in assigning blame on someone else by saying “It’s their fault that this one another thing isn’t working.” It’s preferrable that I go home, pray about it, look deep into the mirror of God’s word, and allow God to transform me, and then I can take the lead in showing honor. I think that’s how it’s supposed to work.
Another verse that really gets my attention is found in 1 Peter 2:17. Peter says “ Honor all people. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king”. We are to honor ALL people, no one is left out, which tells us that every soul matters to God the Father. Love one another, fear God. The word fear means “sore afraid, or exceedingly reverent”. We are to be exceedingly reverent, God is our creator, He has unlimited power(omnipotent), all knowing (omniscience) and is in all places (omnipresent).
There are many other verses in scripture that teach us to honor others. A very familiar one, We honor God the Father (1Timothy 1:17), Jesus the Son of God (Jn. 5:22-23); the Spiritually Weak (1 Cor. 12:22-26); those Who Suffer (1 Cor. 12:26); Father and Mother (Ep. 6:2-3); Widows in Need (1 Tim. 5:3); Elders (1 Ti. 5:17-18); Masters (1 Ti. 6:1); Everyone (1 Pt. 2:17); and Honor Your Wife (1 Pt. 3:17).
So the admonition and our challenge we have is to love, esteem, respect, appreciate and find value in all. Let’s look for the good! It’s easy to find when you’re looking for it.
A few “takeaways”.
- Mutual Respect - By honoring one another, we acknowledge the value and dignity inherent in each person. By valuing others, we prioritize their needs and wellbeing above ourselves.
- Build Stronger Connections - When we look for the good in others, we will show acts of kindness, encouragement and genuine care. We will strengthen our fellowship with others and create an environment where we all feel valued and accepted. Anyone can find faults, we all have them, if we look for the good, we will find it. We are to "honor one another".
- Every Christian Provides Value - Upholding honor toward others, regardless of their social status, background, and or their place in the church, reflects a commitment to living according to God's standards of righteousness. Every Christian has abilities, talents and God sees that, we need to as well. In addition, it serves as a powerful testimony to other Christians and to the world around us of our faith and values, it reflects the character of Christ in us.
