Pay Honor to Whom Honor is Owed

Today I wan to the talk about Honor.

Romans 13:7

ESV

7 Pay to all what is owed to them: taxes to whom taxes are owed, revenue to whom revenue is owed, respect to whom respect is owed, honor to whom honor is owed.

Romans 12:9–10 (ESV)

...Outdo one another in showing honor.

One of my favorite definitions of Honor - is that Honor means to add value to someone.

τιμή timē honor; value; price

We literally make someone WORTH more when we appreciate them. And when we withhold honor - we make someone WORTH-LESS, than they really are. We depreciate them. WOW!

This analogy of value appreciation is so powerful...

How many of you have noticed that real-estate prices have gone up lately around here.

According Zillow.com

Home prices in Twin Falls have gone up 19.7%

in one year.

Those of us who have bought homes more than 5 years ago - are seeing appreciation near 100% of what we paid for our homes. And in many cases more than that.

This has been the subject of many conversations over the past weeks.

I know one person who has seen nearly 400% increase in the value of their home.

I know another who paid about $350,000 for their home who said it is now worth over $800,000...

Now depending on what side of the buying equation you are on this might seem like great news or terrible news.

No matter how you might feel about this spike in real-estate - there is one inescapable truth -

“What happens to some of us affects all of us.”

In other words - when My home goes up in value - so does my neighbors home.

Now watch this - if my neighbor abandons their home and it falls apart. You know, the lawn dies, windows broken, fence falling down, graffiti all over the garage door. No doubt that house looses value. But what happens to my house? It looses value too. Now is my house actually worth less? Of course not. But it loses value nonetheless.

What happens if someone comes in and buys that neighbors home and tears it down. What if they tear down a worn out 1500sqft and build a brand new 5000sqft mansion with circular drive and swan fountain and lawn so beautiful it looks like a golf course. I mean a house so nice you feel like you need to dress up - just walk in front of it. What happens to the value of my home - even if I didn’t so much as paint a closet? The value goes up.

My point is

“You cannot depreciate someone else without hurting your own value.”

When you build others up - you become worth more too!

We tend to treat honor like a finite thing - We think if we give it away - there will be less for ourselves.

Witholding honor does give you more - it just gives others less.

And you can't give yourself honor. It only works from the outside in.

If you honor yourself - you honor goes down. But when you honor others - it circles back to you.

Proverbs 25:6–7 (ESV)

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English Standard Version

Chapter 25

Do not put yourself forward in the king’s presence

or stand in the place of the great,

7 for it is better to be told, “Come up here,”

than to be put lower in the presence of a noble.

Now let me show you something else that is really cool... Look at

Romans 13:7 (ESV)

Pay to all what is owed to them: taxes to whom taxes are owed, revenue to whom revenue is owed, respect to whom respect is owed, honor to whom honor is owed.

Word: Owed

ὀφειλή opheilē obligation; debt

This blew my mind - Here I have always viewed Honor as something that belonged to me and I can give it to whom I choose.

Of course we get that with Taxes and revenue - right?

We understand that we have to pay our taxes... Not political...

And we understand that if we do not pay our bills we won’t have stuff. But Honor?

When I pay taxes I have less money... When I pay for stuff - I have less money. Right?

Honor does not cost us anything when we give it. In fact

“Honor multiplies - only when given”

This is cool - or really really terrible...

Because when you honor others well - your value goes up. But when you depreciate others - YOUR values goes down too.

What about how we honor God? Does that affect OUR value.

Oh Baby.. does it ever - and most people, even Christians don’t understand how.

How do we honor God?

• We believe in Him
• We believe His Word
• We obey His Word

Belief without clarity of His Word - is just a made up belief.

Belief in His Word without obedience to it - is well - Insanity.

It’s crazy.

Have you noticed - there are a lot of crazy people who attend church somewhat regularly...

What happens to our value - when we devalue God?

Mark 6:1–6 (ESV)

He (Jesus) went away from there and came to his hometown, and his disciples followed him. 2 And on the Sabbath he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were astonished, saying, “Where did this man get these things? What is the wisdom given to him? How are such mighty works done by his hands? 3 Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon? And are not his sisters here with us?” And they took offense at him.

4 And Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor, except in his hometown and among his relatives and in his own household.”

5 And he could do no mighty work there, except that he laid his hands on a few sick people and healed them. 6 And he marveled because of their unbelief.

Word Honor:

ἄτιμος atimos without honor

Or the absence of honor/value.

When I think of this my heart breaks my heart because I think of the many in our world, in our community even in our church who are hurting and suffering - desperate for a touch from God. What many of them are really missing in their lives is - Honor - τιμή timē

How do we honor God?

• We believe in Him
• We believe His Word
• We obey His Word

We believe in Him

Hebrews 11:6 ESV

6 And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.

We believe His Word

Joshua 1:8 NLT

8 Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do.

We Obey His Word

Matthew 28:20 NLT

20 Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

So let’s read — again

Romans 13:7ESV

7 Pay to all what is owed to them: taxes to whom taxes are owed, revenue to whom revenue is owed, respect to whom respect is owed, honor to whom honor is owed.

“When we honor others - our value increases.”