FAIL TO HONOR, WHAT DOES IT MATTER? (ii)

“A prophet is not without honor except in his hometown, among his relatives, and in his household.” (Mark 6:4) CSB

These are words spoken by the Lord Jesus Christ. It was in reference to the people of Nazareth, his hometown. They were astounded by His wisdom and the power to perform amazing miracles. But they failed to honor Jesus. Then it turned to ridicule and resentment, and they became deeply offended. This led them to doubt as they were filled with distrust.

Honoring someone does not mean agreeing with everything they do and speak. We can be respectful and honor others even when we disagree with them. And when we walk in love, we can avoid negative responses.

* In words, attitude, and behavior may we reflect honor to our Lord. (Proverbs 3:9, Philippians 2:3)
* Keep in mind, the way we treat one another within the family, at work or school, on the sports field, or in our neighborhood, all reflect the way we honor God.
* Love one another with genuine affection and take great joy in honoring each other. (Romans 12:10) NLT

We are introduced to Gaius, who was faithful to God and continually walked in “the truth,” even showing strangers hospitality. (3 John 3-6) His impact on others helped further the gospel in his day. Today, by developing a life of service in love, we can prepare ourselves for the receiving end. Service for God puzzles the world. The secret you will discover there is: the longer you serve, the stronger you become. And you will find it hard to match God’s “Retirement Plan”!

I believe the prayers of some Christians go unanswered due to the lack of honor. They make strong confessions of faith but fail to honor others. They dishonor their spouse, those in authority, and their fellow believers. By such practices they kick themselves out of the receiving line. On the other hand, the impact Gaius had is a powerful reminder to you and me that we can leave an impact on others – one that can draw them to Christ. So, may we keep the main thing THE main thing! Let us despise what is wrong and hold tightly to what is good. Keep in mind: failure to honor leads to failure to receive.