Honor found in God

John

{5:44} How can ye believe, which receive honour one of another, and seek not the honour that [cometh] from God only?


Receiving honor from one another.

Here's a quick dictionary definition of the word honor-

honor
1. High respect, as that shown for special merit; esteem: the honor shown to a Nobel laureate.
2. a. Good name; reputation. b. A source or cause of credit: was an honor to the profession.
3. a. Glory or recognition; distinction. b. A mark, token, or gesture of respect or distinction: the place of honor at the table. c. A military decoration. d. A title conferred for achievement.
4. Nobility of mind; probity.
5. High rank.
6. The dignity accorded to position: awed by the honor of his office.
7. Great privilege: I have the honor to present the governor.
8. Honor. Used with His, Her, or Your as a title and form of address for certain officials, such as judges and mayors: Her Honor the Mayor.
9. a. A code of integrity, dignity, and pride, chiefly among men, that was maintained in some societies, as in feudal Europe, by force of arms. b. Principled uprightness of character; personal integrity. c. A woman's chastity or reputation for chastity.
10. honors. Social courtesies offered to guests: did the honors at tea.
11. honors. a. Special recognition for unusual academic achievement: graduated with honors. b. A program of individual advanced study for exceptional students: planned to take honors in history.
12. Sports. The right of being first at the tee in golf.
13. Games. a. Any of the four or five highest cards, especially the ace, king, queen, jack, and ten of the trump suit, in card games such as bridge or whist. b. The points allotted to these cards. Often used in the plural.

verb, transitive
honored, honoring, honors
1. a. To hold in respect; esteem. b. To show respect for. c. To bow to (another dancer) in square dancing: Honor your partner.
2. To confer distinction on: He has honored us with his presence.
3. To accept or pay as valid: honor a check; a store that honors all credit cards.

Excerpted from The American Heritage® Dictionary

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Receiving - respect, esteem, recognition, distinction.


When we receive honor one of another, from one another, we are getting their respect, their esteem, their recognition and distinction from them. We care so much about what people think, at least some of us do, and some more than others. We want to be treated with respect we feel we deserve respect and to be recognized as deserving that respect. We might not say to one another that we want to be honored, that word has a connotation of superiority to it and yet the verb form of honor simply says- 'To hold in respect, esteem. To show respect for.' So no, we don't tell someone they should honor us but sometimes we tell others that they need to respect us, especially when we're dealing with disrespectful situations. We feel a right to be respected simply because we exist. Some of the worst people have no trouble telling others they should respect them- thinking they truly deserve it just because they live. Is feeling like you deserve respect wrong?Is feeling like you deserve to be honored wrong? Is honoring another wrong? We are told to honor our mother and father so that can't be, and yet something about honoring others is wrong.

John

{5:44} How can ye believe, which receive honour one of another, and seek not the honour that [cometh] from God only?


Seeking honor of others and not the honor that God alone possesses is wrong. Seeking respect from mankind and not seeking respect that comes from God, is wrong. Seeking to be esteemed by man, seeking recognition and distinction from man is wrong. The ONLY one we need to seek honor from is God. God first, always.


God first. If God is kept first in our lives then we won't care what others think of us, whether or not they respect us or esteem us. If God comes first then nothing else matters. If you suffer disrespect, if you aren't given the recognition you think you deserve, if you're given no distinction at all and not esteemed in the slightest- then you should bear it with joy (not that it feels good- but that's not the point). People suffer for well doing (1 Pet. 3:17) and it is good, better than suffering for evil. When we suffer in any way for God, keeping God first in our lives, then all is good.


We can have faith in God when we seek God first before all else. When we seek our fellow man first we lose our faith. God first, always.


There is an honor that come from God only and that honor is something we should seek. How? Faith.


We're not going to receive a pat on the back from God. He's not going to wink at us and tell us, 'Well done.' God isn't going to shower us with tokens of His appreciation. We won't receive a new company car because we've managed to honor God and He wants to show us we've done well.


How many people seek such honor from man? How many long to hear that little word of gratitude- thanks? How many live hoping to please others and never once concern themselves with pleasing God?


Is it fear that keeps a person from seeking God first? Fear of what their fellow man will think of them? How they might be labeled by others. Jesus freak, God crazy, religious jerk, holy nut, you get the picture. Sometimes we think of the extreme man on the street in a toga dancing and trying to hand out pamphlets, or maybe a looney who wears a billboard shouting about the second coming of Christ. We think of those we call extremist and guess what... In Jesus' day His apostles, His disciples were considered extremists.


Am I saying go out and be an extremist for Christ- yes, I am.


We need to live for Christ, seeking the honor that comes from God. Our only concern should be what God thinks, not what others think.


What God thinks. Perhaps because He's not visible to us to give us physical reassurance that following Him is the only good and right way, we tend to look to that which we can get reactions from and live by their reactions. We seek approval of one another and that is a down fall. The only approval we need is from God and that approval is based on faith.


Faith- the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. (Hebs.11:1)


Our hope is Christ.


Faith.


1 John {5:4} For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, [even] our faith.


Faith. Live for God. Live seeking the honor that comes solely from God.


May God bless and keep us in Him, through the grace and mercy of Christ help us to seek the honor found in God and not in man.


Amen.