Respecting
those in leadership because
of the higher authorities they represent
Vs. Disrespect
I WILL:
q Be attentive to those who lead me.
q Show loyalty to my authorities.
q Speak only the truth.
q Obey cheerfully.
q Give place to those who are older or hold positions of prominence.
“Honor is humbling myself in the presence of a God-given authority and expressing my devotion with an appropriate gift.” Power for True Success
“Reverence (honor) is awareness of how God is working through the people and events in my life to produce the character of Christ in me.” Character Clues game
How appropriate that honor be the character quality for May as we honor some very special groups during this month: mothers, graduates, and soldiers. As the Israelites were instructed to do, use holidays to teach the ways and works of God.
THE HONORED ONE! Write out the scripture references that talk about the honor that above all others goes to God and to Christ, then put them in a basket. Pray that God will help you honor Him through these verses and have each member of your group or family draw out one, then lead in worship by reading meaningfully his/her passage:
Psalm 29:1-2 Psalm 34:1-3 Psalm 57:5,9-11 Psalm 145
I Timothy 1:17 Hebrews 2:9 Hebrews 3:1-4 I Peter 1:6-9
II Peter 1:17 Rev. 4:9-11 Revelation 5:11-14 Revelation 7:9-12 Rev. 21:22-27 I Timothy 6:13-16
Read John 5: 19-27 What a controversial statement: to honor the Father (God), you must honor the son, Jesus. Today, it is still controversial; it is acceptable to talk about God, but to honor Jesus as His Son is not. How do the Father and the Son mutually honor each other? Is believing in the full deity of Jesus a requirement for following God? See II John 7-10 and I John 4:15.
Are we often like Israel in Isaiah 29:13, “these people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but there hearts are far from me. Their worship of me is made up only of rules taught by men”? How can we honor Him with our lips? How can we honor the Lord from our hearts? How did they fail to honor the Lord in Malachi 1:6-1?
GOD HONORS US: How amazing that Almighty God, the Maker and Sustainer of all the Universe, would honor his people! Assign one of the following passages to a small group and have them look for answers to: How can we be the recipients of God’s honor? How does He honor us? Also share specific ways we have experienced His honor and ways we can apply this to our lives.
I Chronicles 29:10-13 Psalm 8:3-5 Psalm 112
Deuteronomy 26:16-19 Isaiah 43:1-7 John 12:23-26
Romans 2:6-11 James 4:10 (NLT: he will honor you)
HONOR IN PROVERBS: This could be an all month project for a family or a cell. Write out clues to honor by studying these proverbs. For your cell members or for your family, write some you want to remember in bold lettering on pieces of paper to put around your house (on the bathroom mirror, on your refrigerator, on the door, etc.). Add some pictures or symbols to make it more attractive. Study one each day, then have one family member choose where to display it. Or have the cell make the Proverbs signs and put them up around the church building. Perhaps you could even sponsor a contest for children to find them all – perhaps filling in a blank on a sheet with all or even some of the proverbs written out.
3:9 What is our wealth? How can we honor the Lord with it? What will be the result?
3:16 What brings honor? What do we want to be honored for? What is coupled with honor? What happens if we seek honor and riches rather than wisdom?
4:7-9 What price must we pay for wisdom? What could the garland of grace and crown of splendor represent?
8:18 Wisdom is the speaker; how does wisdom bring riches and honor? What wealth is enduring?
11:16 How does a kind heart win respect (honor) for women? How does the world say a woman gains respect? Why would respect be better than only wealth?
13:18 What is the result of ignoring discipline? What is the result of heeding correction? Why would listening to correction bring honor?
14:31 How must we look at the poor? How does extending kindness to a poor person honor God? How can we be kind to the poor?
15:33 How does fearing God lead to wisdom? How does humility come from fearing God? What is humility? Why would honor be bestowed on someone who is humble?
18:12 How does pride lead to a downfall? Can you give some examples from the Bible, history, current events? Why does real honor only follow humility?
20:3 Why would avoiding strife lead to honor? Does winning a fight or argument uphold honor? Do you know anyone who is always ready to fight or argue? How does the Bible describe him/her? How do you think God would want you to respond?
21:21 How can we pursue righteousness and love? What is the promised result? What happens if we take a shortcut and pursue the good life, prosperity, and honor for ourselves?
22:4 What are the two pre-requisites for wealth, honor and life? Why do you think this idea is repeated so many times in Proverbs?
26:1 What analogy is given here? How is honor for a fool like snow in summer or rain in harvest? What would result if those two things happened in nature?
26:8 We have had two analogies about giving honor to a fool (see 26:1); what is the third one here? What would be the result of tying a stone in a slingshot? How would that compare to giving honor to a foolish person?
27:18 Another analogy: how is tending then eating the fruit of a fig tree like looking after your authority then receiving honor? List the authorities in our lives, then consider how you can “look after” each one.
29:23 Doesn’t this seem backward: have a lowly spirit and you will gain honor? How does our pride bring a person down? Is a lowly spirit the same as low self esteem?
31:23 How does a good wife help her husband have respect (honor)? The city gates was where the city business was transacted, so this man had influence in the community. How can a good wife help or hinder a man’s reputation and influence in the public arena?
Another proverb and analogy is found in Ecclesiastes 10:1: What would be the result of dead flies in a perfume? How would that relate to the result of a little folly mixed with wisdom and honor? Can you think of Biblical, historical, or current examples of this proverb (i.e. Solomon)?
HONOR ROLL: WHO AM I TO HONOR? It is important to honor those whom God says to honor. In the following scriptures, who are we to honor? With each, think of practical ways we can show honor – then do it! This could be an all-month project: have each member read all the bulletin during the first days and highlight all ways you show respect. Then take just one of the following and talk about ways to show them honor.
q Father and mother: Exodus 20: 12, Deuteronomy 5:16, Ephesians 6:1-3 (also see Colossians 3:20, Proverbs 30:17). This would be a good project close to Mother’s Day.
q Widows: I Timothy 5:3-8,
q Elders, church leaders: I Timothy 5:17-20, I Thessalonians 5:12-13
q Masters, Employers: I Timothy 6:1-2, I Peter 2:18 (also see Colossians 3:22-25)
q Government officials: I Peter 2:13-17, Romans 13:1-7 Since soldiers work under government authority, this would be good to study close to Memorial Day.
q Wives: I Peter 3:7 (also see Colossians 3:19 and Ephesians 5:28-33)
q Husbands: Ephesians 5:22-24, 33 (see Colossians 3:18 and I Peter 3:1-6)
q Other Christians: Psalm 15:4; Romans 12:10, I Corinthians 12:21-26
q Elderly: Leviticus 19:32
In addition to God and to people that are to be honored, there are also other things God says to honor. As you study these scriptures, discuss how you can show the honor that God requires:
q Marriage: Hebrews 13:4
q Body: I Thessalonians 4:3-8
q Lord’s Day: Isaiah 58:13-14 (see Exodus 20:8-11 and 31:12-17)
SEEING THROUGH DIFFERENT GLASSES: We can learn to honor by recognizing each person’s true worth. Think of someone you honor: why?
Picture someone you have trouble honoring: Why?
II Cor. 5 makes the point that we Christians are to
1. reconcile people to God
2. get lives back in working order.
The key in being able to honor others is found in 5:16
NLT: “stopped evaluating others by what the world
thinks of them”
Key to being a successful reconciler: must change the way I see people.
See a drug addict
See a cantankerous and demanding boss
See a slow driver that slowing us down
See a government official that has opposite views
See a child that is going against what we taught him
See a neighbor that is bringing down the property
Value
See a young person with piercings, goth clothes
See someone who has stolen or embarrassed me
Paul gives us clues in this scripture passage that show how we should see people. Read II Corinthians 5:11-6:2, asking, “What would help me honor that person, to see him or her as God sees?”
ü Someone for whom Christ died
ü In need of reconciliation
ü In need of life being put back into working order
ü Needing reconciliation
ü Make in God’s image
ü Candidate to be a new creation
ü Loved by God, to be loved by me
ü See heart, not outward appearance
ü Someone I am sent to as ambassador of the kingdom
ü Someone God wants to speak to through me
Choose one way from the list that I will strive to show honor to that person who in the beginning I was having trouble honoring? Read the list again prayerfully and share the one you will strive to implement.
Prayer time: pray that you will be a good ambassador to that person.
HONOR AUTHORITY: Honor is dependent on understanding authority. Read Luke 7:1-10 (also in Matthew 8:5-13): how was the centurion’s understanding of authority a key to faith. Is it also a key to faith in our lives? Read commands given to a people who were being persecuted by authorities in I Peter 2:13-17; would it have required faith in God using authorities to obey Peter’s directives. What light does Proverbs 21:1 provide? Review the Institute in Basic Life Principles material on authority. Discuss the 4 attitudes to honor authority:
1. Reverent spirit: knowing that God works through authorities;
2. Grateful spirit: give expectations to God, freeing you to be grateful for everything;
3. Servant spirit: excited about making others successful;
4. Quiet spirit: without fear and worry, fulfilling your own responsibility.
What problems come when we do not honor authority? What difficulties come when we commit ourselves to always honoring authority? Share testimonies of how it has worked out in life.
MEDALS OF HONOR: The Medal of Honor is America’s highest award for valor in action against an enemy force; it is sometimes called the Congressional Medal of Honor. It is granted for service “above and beyond the call of duty.” Share some true stories of “Medal of Honor” winners, then share the true stories of these Biblical people who were honored. Why would they be eligible for a medal of honor for conspicuous gallantry? Assign people one Biblical examle and ask them to write up a “Medal of Honor” recommendation summarizing how this person went above and beyond the call of duty.
Samuel: I Samuel 3:19-21 and 9:6
David’s mighty men: Josheb-Basshebeth (II Samuel 23:8, I Chronicles 11:11), Eleazar (II Samuel 23:9-10, I Chronicles 11:12-14), Shammah (II Samuel 23:11,12), three mighty men (II Samuel 23:13-17, I Chronicles 11:15-19)
Abishai (II Samuel 23:18-19, I Chronicles 11:20-21), Benaiah (II Samuel 23:20-23, I Chronicles 11:22-25). For more men who stood with David in exile, read I Chronicles 12.
Jabez: I Chronicles 4:9-10
Solomon: I Kings 3:4-15, II Chronicles 1:7-13
David: I Chronicles 17:16-19, 29:26-28
Hezekiah: II Chronicles 32:24-33
Others did not receive God’s medal of honor; why not?
Uzziah: II Chronicles 26:16-20
Eli: I Samuel 2:27-36
Saul: I Samuel 15
Barak: Judges 4:4-10
IN A WORD Just as our words, attitudes and actions can show disrespect , they can also show respect. Here are some keys:
“Watch your words”: James 1:16, 3:1-9, Ephesians 4:29, Colossians 4:5-6, Proverbs 13:3, 21:23, 25:11,
“Monitor your attitude”: Philippians 2:1-11, I Peter 2:17, I Thessalonians 5:11, I Corinthians 10:32-33,
“Fill your mind”: Colossians 3:12-17, Philippians 4: 8, Titus 1:15, Hebrews 12:14-15, James 3:14-16.