Honor: the Remedy

“Honor is not flattery, nor is it the building up of people where there is no substance. It is walking in truth, honestly pointing out the righteous truth about others...with no exaggeration and no demeaning.”—Arthur Burk

Honor Pays Attention

From a Christian perspective, honor recognizes who another is in Christ and acknowledges what is seen, usually verbally, to that person and others. Honor is recognizing and speaking the truth about the honorable things another does and says, their good works and wisdom, their good character traits, natural abilities, spiritual gifts, the fruit of the spirit they exhibit in their lives, how what they’ve done and said has blessed other people, their anointing, the fruit of their ministry, how they have grown, how important they are to the body of Christ, etc.

​Honor is different than speaking prophetically into another’s life or even blessing someone. Both prophesy and blessing are very important. They are about God’s intentions for a person’s future.

Honor Validates

Honor is, however, validating who another person is right now. Bottom line is that honoring another is saying, “This is what God has done in you and through you, and I say that it is good.”

We must not try to honor ourselves. This becomes boasting. Even Jesus said:
“If I honor Myself, My honor is nothing. It is My Father who honors Me, of whom you say that He is your God.” (John 8:54 NKJV)

Look for the good

For honor to flow freely among Jesus-followers, each person must first be looking for and expecting to see good in others. We must be expecting the best from others rather than the worst. We must be trying to catch others doing it right, rather than wrong. We must seek to recognize God’s hand in other people. We also must learn to then readily acknowledge and express what we’ve recognized to the other person. Learn to turn what used to be routine conversations into opportunities to recognize what God is doing in and through the another person.

The one to whom honor is given must learn to receive honor in a quiet and wholesome way. For example: “Thank you for saying that. I receive it and come into agreement with it.”

Do not speak in false humility by downplaying or disagreeing.

“Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church.”(Ephesians 4:15 NLT)

Honor is radical God love!

Honor originates from our creator. Throughout the Bible, but particularly the New Testament, we see in word and deed Father God, Jesus, The Son, and Holy Spirit honoring one another. It is the way they have related with one another forever. Honor, by God’s grace, must become central to how we, as Jesus-followers relate to one another.

This is extremely different from our natural ways of doing relationship.

Most people feel embarrassed and uncomfortable about speaking their recognition of the truth of another’s goodness and righteousness to them. Sometimes we are afraid it will “puff them up.” This is a lie of the enemy.
I believe that when honor becomes the common way of relating in the Body of Christ, it will bring health to peoples’ self-value so that there is no need for jealousy, boastfulness and pride.

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About the Author

Valerie Bixler lives in Colorado Springs and ministers with her husband, Dr. Jim Bixler, through the Living Oaks Restoration and Discipleship Ministry.

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