I’ve always read the words “Honor your mother and father” and thought that it was just code from Papa for “do what they tell you, unless they are disobeying me, then do what I’d have you do in the situation.” Tonight Papa blew the top off of what honor really is.
See I’ve been reading a lot of books from Bethel Church out in Redding, CA. They are always speaking of a culture of honor. At first I thought that it was just another fancy way of “gold digging” or “diamond mining” for the Christ in everyone. Again, Daddy changed my perspectives on what honor really means.
Tonight, I realized that I was almost out of money and hand no where near enough to get gas. I was trying to “honor” my mother and father by not asking them for any. Not knowing how I was going to get to work in the morning I began to pray, asking for guidance from the Holy Spirit on what to do. He said “Go hug your dad good night and ask him for the money.” I was awestruck. It took me a few minutes to do it because I’ve always had this mentality, thanks to our culture, that you never ask for money because you should be strong and independent. This mentality goes against Kingdom culture.
Kingdom culture is this: Ask and your shall receive, seek and you will find, knock and the door will be opened.
Ask God for everything you need and rely on Him to give it to you because He is the perfect Father and always will. For a long time I believed only He would receive honor by my asking of Him, but tonight I realized that we honor our parents when we ask them for the same things, and this is why we are commanded to honor them, for by honoring them we honor God and by honoring God we honor our parents.
Honor isn’t just respect. It is so much more than that.
Honor is lifestyle. Honor is promise. Honor is faithfulness. Honor is recognition. Honor is love. Honor is seeing Jesus in every person you meet on the street and calling that part of them forth. Honor is asking your dad, “Hey remember when you said if I needed anything you’d always help me out because you love me? I need help.”
Honor is asking someone to fulfill a promise they made and accepting the gift of love that has been given. Honor is giving that gift back, not only to that person, but to all those around you, free of charge, expecting nothing in return. “Freely you’ve received so freely you must give.”
Honor is identity. God is honor. Honor honors honor.
Tonight I honored my Papa by asking for help. Tonight He honored me by showing me what to do and who to go to: my dad. Tonight I honored my dad by asking for help and reminding him of a promise he made. Tonight he honored me by keeping that promise and giving even more abundantly.
God honors us by giving more than we need so that we may use to overflow to impact others.
