Choosing to Honor Others

           Relationships that flourish demand a great deal of work.  Many people have never had the privilege of growing up in a home where parents fostered healthy vibrant relationships.  Some have never had the sweet closeness of a friend that they could pour their hearts out to.  Most desire good relationships but few have ever been taught how to be a friend or how to relate to other people in a way that cultivates a deep meaningful relationship.  Some are even afraid of being hurt if they become too vulnerable with another person.  God has made us to relate to one another in a positive productive way even though we are all different.  Our spouse, child, neighbors, and co-workers are not the enemy even though they think differently than we think~~Satan is!  We are truly capable of learning how to love and communicate in healthy ways with those that God has planted in our lives.  It will certainly be work but it will be most rewarding.

So where do we begin?  Whether relational improvement is needed with a spouse, child, co-worker, neighbor, or friend, I do believe that there is a key ingredient that must be included or the relationship will not thrive.  That often-missing ingredient is HONOR.  Too often we are guilty of going through the motions in a relationship but we really don’t engage our hearts.  At times, we may not really even be concerned with the heart of the other person.  When we intentionally choose to honor another individual we can’t attempt to measure their worth, base it off of how they have treated us, or measure the cost in order to honor them.  Christ is to serve as our standard for love and honor.  Many people work harder at not getting along than they do at trying to build a healthy relationship. 

Consider these characteristics of honor: 

1.     Honor does more than what is expected

2.     Honor hopes and believes the best about others

3.     Honor places others in a place of specialness

4.     Honor places others before ourselves.

5.     Honor focuses on our attitudes that accompany our actions.

Question:  Does our spouse, friend, or children know that we honor them?

Scripture provides a foundation in how we should relate to one another.  Consider praying this verse in Ephesians 4:29-32.

   “Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.  And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.  Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice.  Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving on e another, as God in Christ forgave you.”