by Monty Spena
Outdo one another in showing honor – Romans 12:10
I was perusing an old issue of Tabletalk magazine that was discussing honor as the topic of the month and was struck by the challenge that a man named Matt Smethurst laid before his readers. He noted that the Bible is laying before us a competitive challenge and then asked, how are we doing in this competition of outdoing one another in showing honor?
Another writer, Thomas Brewer noted in his piece “The Blessing of Honor” the lack of honor in our world today and how it breeds incivility. Honor is defined by scripture as treating people the way they ought to be treated and esteeming them appropriately. He then shows how the practice of honoring one another brings blessings. Exodus 20:12 instructs us to honor our father and mother that it may go well with us and that we would enjoy a long life. Psalms 84:11 says that the Lord bestows honor. Proverbs 21:21 shows that honor is associated with riches, life and wisdom. “Honor is a blessing and it brings blessing”. Following is his description of what our society might look like if everyone honored each other well – “… we would all feel treated with dignity and respect. None of us would seek more honor for ourselves than was right, and everyone would treat each other as they ought. There would be no need for locks on our car doors or our houses, for no one would steal anything from one another. There would be no bickering in our families and no power struggles in the workplace. In fact, in order to honor each other more and more, we might very well outdo each other in showing honor (Romans 12:10)”. That sounds like the utopia many are dreaming of today, only they don’t have a clue of how to achieve it. But that is what should be modeled in the Church.
I want to return to the article by Matt Smethurst as he closes with this – “Biblical encouragement is a rare currency these days; therefore, it’s deeply valuable. Assuming the best in others – to the praise of God’s grace – isn’t natural for self-absorbed sinners like us. It requires self-forgetfulness. But it showcases a more excellent way. The Puritan Thomas Watson once said that a humble Christian “studies his own infirmities, and another’s excellencies.” We tend to reverse that order – studying our own excellencies and another’s infirmities – to the detriment of our souls.
James 3:13 “Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good conduct let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom.”