Daily Devotional: BE!
Day 9: Be Honorable
The first of the Ten Commandments, that comes with the promise of a reward for keeping it, is mentioned in Exodus 20:12
“Honor your father and mother, so that you may live a long life in the land the Lord your God is giving you.”
In Deuteronomy 5:16, Moses reminds the Ancient nation of Israel:
“Honor your father and mother, as the Lord your God commanded you, so that you may live long and that it may go well with you in the land the Lord your God is giving you.”
In fact, Proverbs 31:31 speaks of a mother:
“Honor her for all that her hands have done, and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.”
The City Gate was the place where the leaders of the city would gather. It was the place of economy, and justice. So to be honored at the City Gate would have been a high honor, and everyone in the City would have known that someone had been honored there. Today, we have many other kinds of ways, and modern media, by which to share someone’s honorable actions.
King Solomon says of a noble and honorable woman, in Proverbs 31:23, that “Her husband is respected at the city gate, where he takes his seat among the elders of the land.”
Someone whose wife has noble character, as this woman does, gains respect in their own sphere of influence.
And I believe it goes both ways — a woman in a leadership position can also gain respect, in her sphere of influence, when her husband is a righteous and godly man who respects her work, and praises her, as does the man in Proverbs 31:28
“Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her.”
We also find honor mentioned in Exodus 28, where God tells Moses to have special garments made for the Priests.
In verse 2, it says, “Make sacred garments for your brother Aaron to give him dignity and honor.”
And in verse 40, “Make tunics, sashes and caps for Aaron’s sons to give them dignity and honor.”
These garments were called sacred, making a distinction between the common garments worn for everyday labor, and those worn to come before God Almighty, to serve Him.
In much the same way, traditionally in more modern times, people have worn what became known as their “Sabbath clothes” or their “Sunday best”, which they would not have worn to work, or in some other kind of daily activity.
Again King Solomon shares the work of an honorable woman, in Proverbs 31:24
“She makes linen garments and sells them, and supplies merchants with sashes.”
And in verse 29, he says, “Many women do noble things, but you surpass them all.”
We find the story of one of King Solomon’s ancestors, Rahab, in the Book of Joshua. She was drying flax on her roof, and she hid the spies under the flax, and her life was spared in the destruction of the city of Jericho.
As you may already be aware, flax is used to make linen fabric, which was worn by almost everyone in the hot desert climate, because it is cool, breathable, hypoallergenic, and durable.
It is also antibacterial, suppressing harmful organisms from causing skin irritation due to sweat, which it absorbs. In fact linen is good for those with asthma, or other respiratory allergies, or even dermatological disorders, for this reason.
It is also thermoregulating, and environmentally friendly, as it will just decompose back into the soil when buried. It is great for those with sensitive skin. It is odor resistant, and even anti-static.
In Proverbs 31:13, the lady mentioned “selects wool and flax and works with eager hands.”
She makes clothing for her family and clothing to be given, and to sell to others. And from her earnings, she is able to buy a vineyard — which in our day would be considered a business property.
In verses 17-22, the king himself speaks of her noble deeds:
17 “She sets about her work vigorously; her arms are strong for her tasks.
18 She sees that her trading is profitable, and her lamp does not go out at night.”
A person of noble and honorable character keeps her lamps lit, unlike the five virgins, which Jesus mentions, who let their lamps go empty, and in fact were completely out of oil. They did not keep their lamps lit, much less purchase enough oil to do so.
And I don’t think it is just about working all night. It’s about letting one’s light shine through all we do, because we are honorable.
By contrast, God speaks of the dishonorable in Isaiah 29:13
“The Lord says: “These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship of me is based on merely human rules they have been taught.”
God desires a personal and eternal relationship with those He loves.
If this parable about the 5 wise and the 5 foolish virgins were a statistic, or a poll result, it would mean that half the people did not do what God asks of them. That is very sobering! It is in fact deeply distressing to think that, according to this scenario, 50% of believers in Christ are not pleasing God, and He will have the right to say to them, “I don’t know you.”
Let’s continue in Proverbs 31, from the Amplified Classic Translation, which includes more of the original Hebrew meanings, to enhance our understanding of the concepts herein.
17 “She girds herself with strength [spiritual, mental, and physical fitness for her God-given task] and makes her arms strong and firm.
18 She tastes and sees that her gain from work [with and for God] is good; her lamp goes not out, but it burns on continually through the night [of trouble, privation, or sorrow, warning away fear, doubt, and distrust].
19 She lays her hands to the spindle, and her hands hold the distaff.
20 She opens her hand to the poor, yes, she reaches out her filled hands to the needy [whether in body, mind, or spirit].
21 She fears not the snow for her family, for all her household are doubly clothed in scarlet.
22 She makes for herself coverlets, cushions, and rugs of tapestry. Her clothing is of linen, pure and fine, and of purple [such as that of which the clothing of the priests and the hallowed cloths of the temple were made].”
Let’s look again at God’s epitome of honorable character.
Proverbs 3:16, which speaks of Wisdom:
“Long life is in her right hand; in her left hand are riches and honor.”
This reflects the promise given in Exodus 20, regarding honoring one’s parents.
Again Solomon speaks of Wisdom in Proverbs 4:8
“Cherish her, and she will exalt you; embrace her, and she will honor you.”
We learn, from the Apostle Paul, that all the treasures of wisdom are hidden in Christ Jesus, Who has become the epitome of Wisdom for us.
In Proverbs 8:18, Wisdom speaks, “With me are riches and honor, enduring wealth and prosperity.”
It is a reminder that when we obey God, which is the wisest choice if we desire good outcomes from our life-choices, we will be blessed generationally — even for a thousand generations, to them that love God, according to Scripture.
Proverbs 11:16 says, “A kind hearted woman gains honor, but ruthless men gain only wealth.”
Earlier in the Book of Proverbs, there is another comparison made.
In Proverbs 3:35 it states, that “the wise inherit honor, but fools get only shame.”
It is that same generational blessing, we see mentioned earlier, that is inherited from wise parents — or in this case foolish parents bringing only shame —but with the promise of enduring wealth and prosperity, that comes with honoring the previous generations who are wise and honorable.
I do not speak of ancestor worship, here, but giving honor to the previous generations for what they have done for us, or given to us. This is honorable to God.
King Solomon writes, in Proverbs 14:31, “Whoever oppresses the poor shows contempt for their Maker, but whoever is kind to the needy honors God.
Since God is our Father in Heaven, Who lives in us by His Holy Spirit, He is the One to be honored above everyone else.
Proverbs 18:12, “Wisdom’s instruction is to fear [lovingly reverence] the Lord, and humility comes before honor.”
Elsewhere it says, by contrast, that pride comes before a fall, and that would be dishonorable.
In fact, Proverbs 22:4 says, “Humility is the fear of the Lord; its wages are riches and honor and life. I’m seeing a pattern here, aren’t you?
Here is another comparison that King Solomon makes:
Proverbs 20:3
“It is to one’s honor to avoid strife, but every fool is quick to quarrel.”
I think we could use a whole lot more of this kind of honorable behavior in our generations. Social Media needs to once again become a place to bring honor to the honorable, for it brings us all long life; and not to quarrel with the dishonorable, for this by implication can shorten our lives with the stress that comes with it.
Proverbs 21:21 says, “Whoever pursues righteousness and love finds life, prosperity and honor.
Proverbs 29:23
“Pride brings a person low, but the lowly in spirit gain honor.”
Jesus came to preach the gospel and brought with Him the blessings that come with accepting it.
Let’s look at Matthew, and the very first blessing mentioned:
Matthew 5:3
“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.”
Jesus gave Peter great honor when He promoted him to leadership in the Body of Christ on the day of Pentecost. Previously, Jesus had spoken something interesting.
Matthew 16:19
“I will give you the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”
On another occasion, the same principle applied to the giving of forgiveness. Whatever you forgive is forgiven by God, and whatever you do not forgive is not forgiven by God. That too is a very sobering concept. If we do not forgive, we will not be forgiven. To behave honorably then, we forgive quickly, so that we too do not fall into the devil’s trap, and then we are not forgiven when we need it.
Let’s look at what being given the keys to the Kingdom looks like in the Old Testament.
Isaiah 22:22-24
22 “I will place on his shoulder the key to the house of David; what he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open.
23 I will drive him like a peg into a firm place; he will become a seat of honor for the house of his father.
24 All the glory of his family will hang on him: its offspring and offshoots—all its lesser vessels, from the bowls to all the jars.”
God has created us to be His vessels of honor, through which He can pour Himself to fill the nations with His glory.
May it be said of all of us who love God, as it is written in the Book of Revelation, regarding the Church at Philadelphia:
Revelation 3:7-8 [AMPC]
7 "And to the angel (messenger) of the assembly (church) in Philadelphia write: These are the words of the Holy One, the True One, He Who has the key of David, Who opens and no one shall shut, Who shuts and no one shall open:
8 I know your [record of] works and what you are doing. See! I have set before you a door wide open which no one is able to shut; I know that you have but little power, and yet you have kept My Word and guarded My message and have not renounced or denied My name.
9 Take note! I will make those of the synagogue of Satan who say they are Jews and are not, but lie—behold, I will make them come and bow down before your feet and learn and acknowledge that I have loved you.
10 Because you have guarded and kept My word of patient endurance [have held fast the lesson of My patience with the expectant endurance that I give you], I also will keep you [safe] from the hour of trial (testing) which is coming on the whole world to try those who dwell upon the earth.
11 I am coming quickly; hold fast what you have, so that no one may rob you and deprive you of your crown.
12 He who overcomes (is victorious), I will make him a pillar in the sanctuary of My God; he shall never be put out of it or go out of it, and I will write on him the name of My God and the name of the city of My God, the new Jerusalem, which descends from My God out of heaven, and My own new name.
13 He who can hear, let him listen to and heed what the Spirit says to the assemblies (churches).”
Revelation 4:11
“Worthy are You, our Lord and God, to receive the glory and the honor and dominion, for You created all things; by Your will they were [brought into being] and were created.”
Jesus receives the greatest honor of any human being, because He died for us, as a sinless human being, so that we could be saved from the death penalty for our own sins, as it is written in Revelation 5:11-13 [AMPC], which says:
11 “Then I looked, and I heard the voices of many angels on every side of the throne and of the living creatures and the elders [of the heavenly Sanhedrin], and they numbered ten thousand times ten thousand and thousands of thousands,
12 Saying in a loud voice, ‘Deserving is the Lamb, Who was sacrificed, to receive all the power and riches and wisdom and might and honor and majesty (glory, splendor) and blessing!’
13 And I heard every created thing in heaven and on earth and under the earth [in Hades, the place of departed spirits] and on the sea and all that is in it, crying out together, ‘To Him Who is seated on the throne and to the Lamb be ascribed the blessing and the honor and the majesty (glory, splendor) and the power (might and dominion) forever and ever (through the eternities of the eternities)!’”
And so I leave you with this blessing:
Continue, then, to let your honorable light so shine before people, that they will be among those mentioned here who give honor and glory to God.
For Additional Reading, please also see my Life Walk Bible Lesson
"Linen, Purity and Lessons from Rahab".
https://thelifewalkbiblelessons.blogspot.com/p/life-walk-lesson-63-linen-purity-and.html
