This was the subject of a weekend Seminar that I taught in July to a citywide ministry and 2 local churches. The leaders wanted to encourage their folk to intentionally develop a culture of honour in their life and ministry. Why is honour so important?

Societies other that our Western ones, have special words of honour reserved for the elderly. Even an older brother or sister is called by a special term of honour or endearment in some cultures. While some cultures have a tradition of bowing or making hand and head gestures to one another out of respect and deference; yet we seldom see the like in our more ‘enlightened’ Western societies. We understand that honoring our parents is a good thing and that it should not be limited to just to one day of the year which we call – Mother’s day or Father’s day. According to the Bible, it should be an ongoing activity, “Honour your Father and your Mother…so that you may live long… and know security…” (Exodus 20:12)

However we, in the West, live in a culture and age that is more fashioned by dishonour than one of honour. Where political satirists, cartoons, editorials and commentators, routinely lampoon leaders across all levels of society. All you need to do is tune-in to most talkback radio programs and their focus seems to be discussing whose reputation they can cast some kind of question over today. It does not take long for this kind of vitriol to soon infect the most positive of attitudes. Likewise, surf through a few favorite TV channels and you cannot help but run into TV’s equivalent; however this version often comes with slanging matchers, fights, flying objects, accusations, and bleeped-out expletives which are hurled by and at participants of all ages and gender. The digital age has not been spared either, where video games, including some children's cartoons, often reflecting a more dark and negative agenda; almost an anger of all things decent, honourable and beautiful. Now if we are not careful, we can begin to think and talk in the same kind of dishonouring way. Nobody is safe from attack of being dishonoured. In some sense, with all the freedoms that we enjoy in this day and age, we are becoming a very irreverent and disrespectful age.

Therefore what is honour? According to the thesaurus, honour has these synonyms: "esteem, respect, pay homage to and assigning value to." The Greek word translated "honour" in our English Bibles, timao, means "to prize, i.e. fix a valuation upon; by implication, to revere – admire." (Strong's Concordance)

Paul in Rm. 12: 10 says this about honour: “Be devoted to one another in brotherly love; give preference to one another in honour.” (NASB) Therefore showing honour means, treating another respectfully and with dignity, because we value them highly.

A Biblical definition of honour could go something like this; it is the mutual recognition of the spirit of God in each of us; to honour, respect and show reverence; hold in high esteem and show courteous behavior towards, confer distinction upon, and offer praise of another human being. It is the determination to show respect, humility and consideration towards another: serving one another because we are made in the image of God. (cf James 3:9) Also the accurate acknowledgment of who people are, will position us to give them what they deserve and allow us to receive the gift of who they are to us.

As I conclude, let me say that the Bible teachers us that the Holy Spirit is the guardian of the culture of the Body of Christ. It is He who requires us to dwell together in unity of heart and spirit as God’s children in a culture of honour, and like Paul says in Ephesians 4:3; to … “make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” – i.e. make it a life-habit. The Psalmist speaks about an increase of blessing that comes from this kind of honouring. (Ps 133:3)

Therefore it’s important that we demonstrate a culture of honour in every arena of life: marriage, family, work, church, community and nation.

I leave you with this question: Are you predisposed to making others successful?