The Beauty of Honor

A sweet friend of mine sent me a text the other day just to tell me that she heard my husband saying something nice about me to others behind my back. That made my day. This world is filled with talking bad behind peoples backs that when someone actually praises people behind their backs it kinda catches people off guard. Yet Jesus did it all the time like with the sinful women.

The first chapter of 2nd Samuel is mind blowing. David understands honor. I've heard it said the most important thing about you is what you believe about God. Man, by David's actions, it is obvious he thought very highly of God and recognized His authority in life. 

If there was someone in my life that hated me so deeply that they spent a lot of their life chasing me down to kill me... someone who whole-heartily devoted themselves to destroying my life...  well, let me just say that I would not have the attitude that David had. David was so honoring! He bragged about the good things about Saul when he died. The very guy who tried to destroy him... he did not say a bad thing about him but rather wrote a song and has all his army guys sing it about how great Saul was. CRAZY WOW! That is honor! 
 
Then in chapter 2 "When David was  told that it was the men from Jabesh Gilead who had buried Saul, he sent messengers to them to say to them, "The Lord bless you for showing this kindness to Saul your master by burying him. May the Lord now show you kindness and faithfulness, and I too will show you the same favor because you have done this."  Wow. David is committing himself to show kindness to the people who were kind to his enemy.  

Sometimes it is easy to think there is just nothing good about this person or that person so how in the world can I brag about them to others? But seriously, if David can honor his worst enemy... someone who tried to destroy his life, someone devoted to kill him. Surely I can honor those hard to honor. 

And speaking of honor. I so much want honoring to become part of me. I want it to be a habit to brag on God and brag on other people. But since it is not a habit now and doesn't just come naturally, I need to train myself (by the power of the Holy Spirit). So, what I have decided it to each week reflect on the week and how I saw God at work in peoples lives. Then that will give me a couple stories where I can brag on God and brag on people. Then when questions as simple as, "How was your week?" or "How are you?" I will be prepared to use the moment and make the most of that opportunity. 

What about you? When was the last time you praised someone in front of others? What about behind their back? Who is your life is most difficult to honor right now? Why not ask God for strength and perspective and brag about a good quality they have today.
 

About Laura

Laura, the creator and host of Missional Women is married to her best friend Austin, and has three kids, two of who are adopted. They have been missionaries to college students for the last 11 years and currently serve in Denver Colorado with Master Plan Ministries. Laura loves to speak to women's and college groups and wrote an in-depth Bible study, Beholding Him, Becoming Missional which goes through First Samuel. You can find her on facebook,twitter, youtube, instagram and pinterest.

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