The significance of honor (Part 1)

And Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father, and told his two brothers outside. Genesis 9:22

Honor has become a lost art in this age ,particularly when we are under the cancel culture and call-out behavior that encourages exposure of other weaknesses and public shame. Honor begins at home. If there is no value attached to honor in a family upbringing, there is a high chance for the dishonorable behavior to be passed on to the next generation. 

honor is an important biblical principle that has spiritual significance. Honor as a verb, It is the act of showing great respect, fulfilling an obligation, or keeping a promise. Honor, however, is more than respect; when respect refers to acknowledging one's position and displaying good manners and outward behavior, honor is about attaching a person's worth to him or her. Since honor is used in the new testament to refer to giving worth, when we give honor to others, we are fully aware of people's intrinsic value. 

Therefore, honor is more than politeness and good manners on the outside; honor is the truth that underlies our relationships, as well as our identity and what we are truly worth. The world views our value as based on our performance and position, but God views us as intrinsically valuable because we are made in His image. Keeping this foundational truth in mind, God wants us to honor all men. Throughout the Bible, God teaches us to honor all kinds of relationships, such as parent-child relationships, marriages, church leaders, ruling authorities and many more.  

Conversely, what does dishonor mean? According to the key verse, Noah was drunk and passed out naked, but his son Ham exposed his father's nakedness by telling his two brothers outside, and then his brothers covered his father's nakedness. Noah then cursed Ham for being the servant of his brothers, while the other two sons were blessed. In the short story, a profound spiritual message is conveyed: honor can bring blessings, whereas dishonor can bring curses. Being a slave means it is hard to advance in life, and one feels oppressed and frustrated all the time.  

Since we are under the new covenant, Jesus has redeemed us from all curses, but if we bear this dishonoring attitude, it could be difficult for us to  advance in life. A dishonoring spirit will also tempt us to reveal the shame of others, leading to conflict and breakdown in relationships, whereas the Bible promises us that honor brings rewards and blessings. For example, when we honor our parents, we will have a long life, and when we honor God, He will honor us. (John 12:26) In part 2, we will discuss how we can honor God and others. 

Blessing prayer: Forgive us when we expose others with shame, rejection, and do not build up their identity in Christ. We break the generational curse of dishonoring spirit in our families and God restores honor and integrity. In Jesus' Name, Amen.