Becoming Family: The Power of Honor

Becoming Family – It's a process.

Family is supposed to be the highest form of relationship in our life but it can be very complicated, destructive, confusing and, on purpose or accident, unhealthy. God has laid out values and disciplines that will bind family together – church family or biological family. Family was God's idea (he put us in families) and if we can understand these values- our families will get stronger and healthier.

Maybe right now, you have the best family in the world, you are full of healthy relationships, healthy time management and boundaries – Great!  God’s values still make the good better. Maybe to no fault of your own you have no idea what a loving and caring family is – God’s values build have the power to redeem even the darkest of situations.  So no matter if it’s the family you can choose or the family you have no choice in – God’s values build us up to become better than we are right now.

 THE FIRST ONE WE ARE GOING TO TALK ABOUT IT HONOR. HONOR  needs to be in ourselves and our families. Defining honor is difficult – we know it when we see it, but the simple definition of “to treat as special” doesn’t embody the power that is honor. The Biblical definition of honor is this: 

Honor – Kabod/Timao (Hebrew & Greek) – It's always used as a verb (shows action) and it means, "How you estimate value and the value YOU put on something or someone."

The value you assign someone shows in your ACTIONS. Another way of saying this is honor is ME adding value to a person with my ACTIONS. 

Honor is powerful, and yet so often we underrate it, under use it and often
can’t describe it well. You could describe honor in your relationships as – Praise, Celebration, Credit, Attention, Confidence, Trust, Recognition – all things we long to have added to us in our relationships.

Dishonor often feels like this – Blame, Neglect, Criticism, Disregard, Distrust, Disrespect, Unimportance – all the things that we never want to feel or cause others to feel. Honor always builds our family and a lack of honor will erode and destroy that which we are trying to build. 

True honor cannot be demanded – its given, not taken.  One sided respect breeds resentment and bitterness; so does demanded honor. Honor is learned by example – If we expect our kids to show honor, we better SHOW them how by honoring them – by adding
value to them with our actions. We can also do this through listening to them– ever notice kids want to be heard? We all do, but kids really do. Take the time. Let them talk without interrupting or trying to fix anything. 

Honor is about adding value to others, not getting what you want. It’s a God idea that goes against human nature but creates something better than what human nature can create. Without honor, the generational gap will only widen. We close those gaps through actions of honor. 

Honor is a choice. You can choose to be honorable or not – If you control yourself (what I
want, what I feel like) then you can be holy and honoring. “I can control myself” – honor will empower you to do what is right for others over yourself. Your family doesn’t need you to be selfish, they need you to add value to them. You may be willing to lay down your life for them, but will you build their life up? Even when it's not a benefit to you, your emotions and what you want? It's time to let honor change the direction of your family and build you up.

Hope Point Church exists to point people to the hope of Jesus, one family at a time. Our service times are Sunday at 9AM and 11AM. Hope Kids is available at every service for kids ages 6 weeks through 5th grade. We would love for your family to come worship with us. You can find more information at www.hopepointkc.com.