What Justifies for Honor?

What Justifies for Honor?

I'm sure you have heard the phrase 'Give honor to whom honor is due'. It is a parlance derived out of the letter of Apostle Paul to the Romans.
[My Offline Bible] Romans 13
7 Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour.

I'll implore you to read that in context to understand my drive.
This injunction is technically conditional and it should be so noticed because it is clear that not all is due for fear or for honor.
The one to give out the honor must judge the one to receive if such is due for it or not. The world judges differently. The standards of the world is such that may not give honor to whom it is due but to those who don't deserve it.

When you study the passage in context you will see how a ruler to whom honor is due earns it. A ruler for instance to whom honor is due will be one who is not a terror to good works but a revenger, who execute wrath against evil doers. In the office of rulers that's what qualifies one for honor. Every honor received therefore must be justified.

The world justifies positions and wealth and to so many, those who have them are due for honor irrespective of whatever they use their positions and wealth for.
Yes, positions come with their honors and achievements their dues but what the opportunities are used for is the plate upon which the honor is served.

A father deserves honor but what of the irresponsible and abusive fathers who oppress and assault their children? A pastor deserves honor but what honor does a pastor who sleeps with female congregants deserve?

But we justify the honor we demand by our own scorecards. We flaunt our gifts and anointing as reasons to be honored without asking if we truly deserve it. We forget that even the anointing didn't come because we are good rather because we are so purposed.

So many have become irresponsible towards the privileges conferred on them because they do not see their honor beyond those privileges. If the only thing that gives you honor is your position and not the good you use your position to spread then you hardly deserve such honor.

Saul went pursuing David and an unnecessary war ensued. That singular act of Saul puts his life on the line and sentenced him to death: the only reason why David didn't kill him was because he was anointed of God, a factor Saul himself didn't consider before starting the war. He got the honor he didn't deserve and he eventually paid for it with his life in a war just as David had prophesied when he spared his life. If the only reason you are feared and spared is only because of your position and not your actions then be careful of divine judgment.

The bottom line here is that we should be careful the honor we demand. Every honor we enjoy might have come based on our position and we should be grateful and responsibly justify such. If we behave as if we deserve it and start demanding it, we may pay for it dearly later on.

Jesus Christ our Lord was approached and hailed as 'the good master' and I'm sure he deserved it but he pointed out to the man that none is good except God. Yes, people saw goodness in Him and would want to give honor to him in that regard but He quickly redirected it to the right owner, the Source of all goodness, God. Meaning, whatever good we even do, that may attract honor to us must have been inspired and initiated by God, left to us we are evil without Him. We are only endeavoring to live up to the good He desires to do through us and I doubt if our best efforts are good enough to give ourselves a personal thumb up.

But a major weakness of man is his appetite for honor even when he hasn't lived up to any. He wants immunity and absolution from whatever errors he might commit just because of his position. He should be feared because he has certain opportunities. He could break the law and should be honorably excused of any consequences. His position justifies him. His wealth justifies Him and nobody should ask him. So he sets himself up against the One who is no respecter of persons. He brazenly faces God and believes he would be justified by such a God. He won't! It is his weakness and man must be careful.

We must seek to live up to our God given positions and if any honor then comes we direct it towards God. He only can justify us to honor us. Jesus Christ our Lord said, we find it hard to believe God and depend on Him because we receive honor one from another and do not seek the honor that comes from God.
[My Offline Bible] John 5
44 How can ye believe, which receive honour one of another, and seek not the honour that cometh from God only?

If what we want is the honor from God then we will seek His own justification and not the justification of men or of positions. Whatever privileged positions you may have, either as a minister of God, a public or political office holder or a politician, you have nothing to justify yourself with. Your goodness isn't enough yet to give ourselves or receive personal kudos.

Jesus said when we have done all that is demanded of us we should then call ourselves 'the unprofitable servants' because we have not done more than was demanded of us. [My Offline Bible] Luke 17
10 So likewise ye, when ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants: we have done that which was our duty to do.

And that is when we might have so done, not speaking of when we have hardly done what was commanded. The best of us should still call himself an unprofitable servant having done only that which was commanded: so what honor should those who haven't done up to that demand by any justifications?
Let's leave the justifing to God and to His grace, and let's be wary of demanding any honor and if any comes our way then give it to God, the source of all goodness and don't give honor to those to whom it isn't due. Good morning.

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