Eternal Honor Society
When I was in high school, I didn’t want to be just average. When report cards came out, I scanned them, hoping to find nothing below an “A.” I was always on the National Honor Society list.
Starting in grade school, I always sought to be the best at everything, and I was rewarded with certificates, medals and ribbons for various things throughout my school years. There’s something fulfilling about being called out and honored.
Now, as a Christian, is it OK to aim for honor? I know we are supposed to honor God, but what about Him honoring us? It probably seems silly to ask that, because of course we know that all honor goes to Him, and it seems too selfish to want honor in return. However, look with me at something here.
You know the analogy the Bible makes of Christians, or the church, as the bride of Christ. He is the bridegroom or husband. We are his espoused wife or bride. Now look at this: Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered. (1 Pet. 3:7) This is our first clue about honor for the bride—us. That’s how I got to thinking about this whole thing. Here’s an Old Testament prophetic spin on this: For as a young man marrieth a virgin, so shall thy sons marry thee: and as the bridegroom rejoiceth over the bride, so shall thy God rejoice over thee. (Isa. 62:5)
God rejoicing over us? God honoring us? Honor is a good opinion or exalted state. It is reverence and showing deference for the other person. God would do that for us?
How can ye believe, which receive honour one of another, and seek not the honour that cometh from God only? (John 5:44) At first I want to shield my eyes. No. We are supposed to honor God. He doesn’t honor us, does He? It’s hard to imagine, but read: For not he that commendeth himself is approved, but whom the Lord commendeth. (2 Cor. 10:18)
If we allow ourselves to consider that God could and, in fact, wants to honor us, then it begs the question, how do you get honor from God? I find three ways.
But now the LORD saith, Be it far from me; for them that honour me I will honour, and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed. (1 Sam. 2:30b)
If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour. (John 12:26)
That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ: (1 Pet 1:7)
God honors those who honor Him, those who serve Him and those who pass the trial of their faith. At the judgment seat of Christ, wouldn’t you love the honor of hearing, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.” (Matt. 25:21)? It’s all something to think about.
Jody
Aim For "Well Done"
When it’s all said and done for us in this life, we will praise God. But God will also praise some of us. Recall that famous phrase from the book of Matthew, Well done thou good and faithful servant. That is praise from God to man. What would it take to hear that from God?
The whole story is found in Matt. 25:14-30. It begins with, For the kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods. In this case, it was money, and he expected his servants to invest and multiply it until he returned. Some did; one didn’t.
Let’s jump to the application. After His death, Jesus traveled to a far country (heaven), and He left us with His goods—His word, His spirit, the message of the gospel (Christ in you, the hope of glory), spiritual gifts, etc. He will return someday, and He expects to see that we invested and multiplied His goods.
So the question for us is, what have we done with the goods He left us with? We should want to hear the praise of God… Well done, thou good and faithful servant; thou has been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy Lord.
He mentioned faithfulness twice here. It’s that important. It means stewarding well the goods He gave us.
We all have to fight the urge to hoard all the goods for ourselves, or to bury and ignore them. For me, I think this calls for an evaluation before God—laying out everything He has given me and asking how I’m using/not using it for Him. Am I faithful with the spiritual gifts He has given me? The Word of God that I know? The gospel? My talents? Is it all channeled toward Him? Am I using what I have in others’ lives?
At the end of my life, I want to hear Well done, thou good and faithful servant. Faithfulness is something revealed over time. In that story in Matthew, the other option was to hear the Lord say, Thou wicked and slothful servant.
Faithful or slothful?
We live in a slothful age, so if we let inertia rule, we will be that wicked and slothful servant, living for ourselves. It’s time to invest and multiply.
Jody