Honor and custom jewelry

I perked up when I read this during my morning devotions. One, because I’m all about some custom jewelry! Second because this ties in with what I was teaching last night to our IBTC students.

I am teaching a class on Honor using John Bevere‘s awesome book Honor’s Reward as a basis for the curriculum. Last night we were discussing showing honor to everyone we encounter. I Peter 3:17 says Honor all people. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king. 

To honor means to value, to esteem, to treat as valuable. We are instructed in the Word to honor everyone we come into contact with! Just a side note, the opposite of honor is dishonor which interestingly enough simply means to treat as common or inconsequential. We are to treat every person we encounter as though they mean something, as though they are valuable to us.

Some of the practical examples of how to accomplish this that were given were:

1. Ask the Lord to place true honor in your heart for those around you. Without true honor your attempts to show honor will come across as insincere.

2. Smile and greet those you meet each day. Take the time to ask their name and address them with respect.

3. Do something unexpected for someone. Pay for the person behind you at Starbucks. Offer the mailman a cold bottled water on a hot summer day. Going out of your way to show kindness is a way to show honor.

4. Be willing to speak a word in season when God directs you. Now I’m not talking about prophesying, unless you are so led, but how about just saying “Hello”, “How are you?”, “That shirt looks nice on you!” How about asking how their family is doing? How about just being cordial?

The grocery store clerk, the gas station attendant, the lady working at the DMV are all valuable. How good would it make her feel if instead of just telling the bank teller you need to make a deposit, you ask her how her day is going, and how she is doing? (I actually just did this at the tag agency today and the lady lit up and her mood noticeably changed as she in turn asked me how my day was going!) I’m sure after dealing with a bunch of grumpy people who are mad that they have to wait in line, it was nice for her to hear someone ask her how her day was going.

Remember today’s verse? The right word at the right time is like custom jewelry. Something that is custom is either one of a kind or created just for you. Isn’t it cool to think that you could be the one to deliver a custom, unique, one-of a kind word from God Himself, to someone that you meet?