I’ve heard more stuff recently about honor then I probably have in my life. Granted I’ve been listening to Bethel stuff a lot (Danny, Kris, Bill- or Brother Bill as Phil puts it) which has a major theme of honor. So yes, I have to ask myself-do I honor others? How about people who I don’t agree with? I’ve found that throughout my life I’ve felt like honor or respect needed to be deserved or earned. If someone hurt my feelings, not only did they not deserve honor but they deserved dishonor. God has been undoing much of my thinking lately. Upon listening to the message “The Posture of Honor” by Danny Silk, I’ve realized what has been going on these past couple weeks or more specifically the two major times I missed out on God’s freedom. I never thought that it was dishonoring to avoid people, I just thought it was a natural reaction when I’m hurt. “Withdrawl from people is dishonor” ouch. really? Isn’t it better than saying stuff you don’t mean? Wouldn’t God just rather me walk around and let satan define others then to talk to them about how I’m feeling? Okay the answer to that one is a no-brainer but so often I walk around in things that are untrue. I’ve noticed that being a SAHM I have a lot more time on my hands. Time to think, time to choose to waste or not, time to think and dishonor others or time to pray and honor them. I’ve recently taken a break from some of the things that had began to so consume my life. It’s so amazing what can happen when people believe and honor you. A friend looked straight at me and said “You can do it, I believe in you.” Do you know what that did to me? It changed my life. It changed a week where I could have wasted away but instead I lived. Recently one of my favorite Professors passed away. Louise Bourgault, was an amazing woman. She had such passion for the things that she studied including: Africa, Aids/HIV, Gender, getting rid of stereotypes etc. Each student that left her classroom went away changed. Upon learning she died I just began to cry, mostly because I have no clue where she stood with Christ but one other thought was also captured in my heart. When my husband came home we had to rush to a couples potluck. I looked at Phil and said “She believed in me…” and the bawling started all over again. Louise had wanted me to go to Georgetown University for a semester and have an internship with CNN at the White House. I declined the offer having been newly married and not feeling led to spend a semester away from my love. But she moved me. There were no signs she was living for the Lord but she moved me. How much more do we that have Holy Spirit in us have the potential to speak life, love and honor into others? I have got everything I need to love others in God’s way. So today I choose not to be offended, I choose to walk with honor towards all (not just those I feel deserve it), I choose to let God change my heart and mind once again. Continual renewal. Beauty from Ashes. I know You won’t leave me where You found me. Let’s honor each other. Oh and as a challenge, for all of us- Pray for Barack Obama. Yes, he may be pro-choice but he needs God’s love and a heart change which only prayer can do. But I don’t want to. Not an option, God calls us to. This is a whole different form of honor for me. To take one of the topics closest to my heart and say I’m going to honor and pray for the person on the other end of the spectrum. Ok, so now I’m off to pray for Obama, Planned Parenthood, and Abortion Clinic Staff. What’s close to your heart? Who/what do you need to be specifically praying for? Ask Holy Spirit, and you’ll find out.
Honor=the word of the day. I choose to spell it E-V-E-R-Y-B-O-D-Y. How do you?
