Honour Others

The word "honour", the ideal that it embodies, is one that we intuitively know is right; we know it's good to honour one another. The problem is, it's also hard. And so, we often forego honour for the sake of expediency in the fast-moving world in which we live. Author Dale Carnegie was raised in a Christian home on a farm in Missouri in the late 1800s. He was deeply influenced by his parents' values, particularly kindness, humility, and integrity. He famously went on to write an all-time business bestseller – How to Win Friends and Influence People. Who doesn't want to have more friends? Who doesn't want to be able to influence people? And though I have some issues about the motivations behind all that, it's hard to argue with the central tenet of his book which is this: People are more likely to respond positively when they feel respected, valued, and genuinely understood. Carnegie's message is simple yet powerful: Change how you relate to others, and you'll change your relationships as well as your results. Now, rocket science this ain't. And yet it's a profound shift that many people never go on to make, to their own detriment and that of others. God, in fact, puts it like this: Romans 12:10 Love each other in a way that makes you feel close, like brothers and sisters. And give each other more honour than you give yourself. We looked at the first part of that yesterday. The second part, about honour, carries with it the sense that we should outdo one another in showing honour. When was the last time someone honoured you? How did it make you feel? So, how would your relationships change if you were always out to outdo the next person in honouring them, hmm? Honour others more than you honour yourself. That's God's Word. Fresh … for you … today.