The High Calling of Honor

It’s amazing the things I see differently now than I did when Chloe was little. 

Things like… paying close attention to her decision-making process, watching the way she interacts with other people, and managing the way she stays true to her word.

It’s making sure I’m sending her out as best prepared I can for the real world, and then praying that who I have raised is a healthy contributor to society.

And then there’s the sharp reality that reminds me she’s only 17.  And lessons, though repeated, sometimes don’t resonate as well as you’d like them to.

Take Tuesday evening for example.

In franticly looking for a shirt to wear… in my closet… many casualties of the hunt were left behind on my bed.  I will admit that my OCD kicked in and a part of me just wanted to “fix” the situation, but I knew it would not serve helpful if I did.  Instead, I calmly reminded her that the shirts had to be put away, and without much delay past the request, she complied.

And I was pleased.

Until I saw the way one of the shirts was hung back up in the closet.

Disheveled and inside out, this favorite shirt of mine was forcefully injected back into the myriad of clothes in an already over-crowded closet.

Sigh.

And it got me thinking.

Our Inspire Ministries’ team has been and will continue this year to discuss the word Honor and the idea of Respect.

Honor, by definition is “to hold in high respect; revere; to show courteous regard for; to esteem; to value.”

And yet I wonder how often we consider how we are honoring one another.

It’s the high-calling on our lives… to honor and respect other people.

We honor others by listening intensely with the intention to learn, not necessary respond.
We honor others by showing up on time, valuing the most precious commodity they own.
We honor others by investing in a relationship that doesn’t just consume, but contributes.
We honor others by returning borrowed items in better condition than when we received them.
We honor others by sharing in what makes them excited; celebrating their wins with them.
We honor others by committing to prayer the hardships they’re facing and helping to carry the load as we understand, deeply, that we’re all just walking each other home.

Honor.

It’s something I’m praying more for in 2018.

It’s to understand, deeply, that honor is the high-calling for those who want to change the landscape of our future.