Hey Advent Family,
“In fact, some parts of the body that seem weakest and least important are actually the most necessary. And the parts we regard as less honorable are those we clothe with the greatest care. So we carefully protect those parts that should not be seen, while the more honorable parts do not require this special care.” — 1 Corinthians 12:22–24, NLT
Honor means recognizing the God-given worth, dignity, and value in another person, then treating them according to that value. In the New Testament, the idea of honor carries the sense of worth or preciousness, so honor is more than being polite or saying nice things. It is choosing to see people the way God sees them. That is exactly what Paul is getting at in 1 Corinthians 12. Corinth loved status, recognition, impressive gifts, and important people, but Paul tells the church that the kingdom of God does not measure people that way. Someone can have no title, no microphone, and no public recognition and still be essential to the body of Christ. There is an old saying that something has “gone the way of the dodo bird” when it has disappeared. The dodo became extinct after its environment changed, its habitat was disrupted, and the things necessary for its survival were taken away. Honor can disappear the same way. When the environment around us becomes filled with criticism, sarcasm, gossip, comparison, and constantly pointing out what people are doing wrong, eventually dishonor starts feeling normal. We can become so used to tearing people down that we forget Christians are supposed to create a completely different environment
That needs to start in our homes and in our church. Your spouse should not hear more encouragement from coworkers than from you. Your children should know what you see in them besides what they need to improve. The person who sets up before everybody arrives, the volunteer who stays late cleaning up, the teacher pouring into children every week, the older member who has prayed faithfully for decades, and the person sitting quietly who nobody seems to notice all have value in the body of Christ. Sometimes familiarity is what kills honor. We get so used to people serving us, loving us, showing up, and carrying weight that we stop saying thank you. What once made us grateful becomes something we simply expect. Paul is telling us to resist that. Visibility does not determine value in the kingdom of God. Honor your wife while she can hear it. Honor your husband while he is carrying responsibilities nobody else sees. Tell your kids specifically what makes you proud of them. Speak well of people when they are not in the room. Thank the person who serves without needing applause. Do not wait until someone leaves the church, retires, or dies to suddenly find all the beautiful things you should have said while they were still sitting across from you. See people the way God sees them, and treat them like they matter.
Takeaway: Honor at least one person today with a compliment, a kind word, or an action that shows them they matter.
Lord, help me honor at least one person today with a compliment, kind word, or action.
Pastor Chance