The last 3 Sundays at church have wrecked me — in the best way possible! 3 weeks ago we started a new series called “The Heart of a King” and while they all have been amazing, last week’s really got to me and I felt the Spirit stir in my heart to share the message and my thoughts with y’all.
I love the way my pastor speaks in such a loving way. In such a Jesus-focused, Spirit-filled, and life-giving way. He doesn’t shy away from the topics that our hearts need to hear and we need to be reminded of. But he also doesn’t bring any shame, guilt or condemnation upon us with his words.
Honestly, the way my pastor speaks is the way I believe Jesus would speak to us if he were physically here on earth today. And I want these words to be received in the same way. I pray that God would release His love and grace with every word I write (some of which are taken from my pastor’s sermon).
I say all of this to preface this post which will, as my pastor told us at the beginning of this series, both challenge you and inspire you. But I hope the challenge brings change and the inspiration brings invitation. Because I believe now more than ever we as Christ-followers have the opportunity to showcase the God we know to a broken, hurting and divided world.
To put on display our Jesus that loves, unites, heals, redeems, and sets free over the world’s version which is full of condemnation, shame, division, rules and guilt.
We were created to be set apart (Jeremiah 1:5), but somewhere along the way we lost our way and began to think the way to live set apart is to fit in with the world. To think like, talk like, act like, live like, and believe like the world does. But the question I have to ask is, if we are constantly doing what the world does, how will they ever see Christ in us? Or know that Jesus gives grace not guilt? I know none of us are perfect (nor am I calling us to be), but when we realize that’s how we’ve been living, it’s kind of no wonder people don’t know Christ or have a skewed version of Him.
But I’m believing that today is the day and we are the people that can change that. In fact, I know that’s the case because God has empowered us to do so (Matthew 28: 18-20). It’s going to be difficult and take us humbling ourselves before God and going first. Putting down our pride, our time, money, resources, comforts and conveniences to do one thing:
Honor one another.
While that may seem really simple, as the sermon pointed out, we actually don’t know or understand quite what that means.
Honor is simply valuing someone and treating them according to that value. So if you value someone, you’ll honor them. And if you don’t, well, I think we all know what dishonor looks like in our world today.
That’s why it’s detrimental to ourselves and the world when we try to fit in. You see, the world tells us to fight dishonor with dishonor. If someone yells at you, yell back. If someone attacks your beliefs, attack theirs back. If someone dismisses you, dismiss them to kingdom come. But where is Christ in that?
If we look in the Bible, the answer is nowhere. Jesus never dishonored anyone, no matter what they said about Him, sentenced Him to do (die on the cross), or did to Him (betrayed him). It’s because Jesus knew the oh-so important truth: come with the opposite spirit.
As Christ-followers, we fight dishonor with…HONOR!
Matthew 5: 43-44, 46 “‘You have heard it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you….If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that?'”
Jesus essentially is telling us that even the world honors those who honor them; the mark of a believer is to honor those who dishonor you. We were not called to live like the world; to love those who love us and hate those who hate us. We were called, created, and empowered to come in with the opposite spirit; to bring unity where there is division, love where this is hate, and honor where this dishonor.
I know this is uncomfortable, but keep pushing in and reading because this is the part of the sermon that really got me and brought about change and invitation. And I’m believing the same thing will happen with these words right here.
So, how can we come with the opposite spirit? Here are 3 ways
HONOR GOD
When we honor God, it becomes so much easier to honor people. And when we spend time in the presence of the King of Kings, we’ll start to live with the heart of a king. Or in other words, with the heart of honor.
REMEMBER WHO THEY ARE
So often I think we don’t honor others because we see them by their actions, lifestyle, words, etc. instead of seeing them as they truly are: made in the image and likeness of God. Genesis 1:26 “Let us make man kind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule…” We have no problem applying that verse to ourselves but when it comes to other people, especially non-believers, we forget. We forget that it’s not just believers who were created in the image and likeness of God, but everyone. Regardless of if they live it out or even believe it.
Honor people because they were made in the image and likeness of God, don’t dishonor them because they find their identity elsewhere. Honor people because they were given gifts and talents by God that demonstrates God’s greatness, don’t dishonor them because you don’t agree with them. Honor people because they have a calling from God to rule and reign, don’t dishonor them because of their behavior.
In other words, it’s time we start engaging and honoring people based on their calling, not their behavior.
REFUSE TO BE OFFENDED
When there is offense in our hearts, there is no room for honor. And on the flip side, when there is honor in our hearts, there is no room for offense. In other words, honor and offense cannot coexist.
Offense demands judgement, honor offers grace. That’s why we can’t honor people when we see them by their actions, lifestyle, words, etc. because those create offense in us which leads to judgements. But when we see people as God sees them, honor fills our hearts and we are able to offer grace as Jesus did on the cross.
Jesus was not offended — EVER! Not by Pilate who sentenced him to death, not by the Pharisees who wanted him crucified, not by his disciples who doubted or denied him, and not even by Judas who He shared a dinner bowl with just hours before Judas would betray him. Jesus showed us the way to never being offended: having a heart full of honor.
The problem is, we want to treat others according to their worst, but want them to treat us according to our best. But we are called to value every single person and honor them because Jesus honored us when we were at our worst.
Here’s the thing that makes honor really simple: honoring someone doesn’t mean you agree with them. In fact…
You can still honor people you don’t agree with. You can still celebrate and acknowledge their greatness even if you don’t agree with their actions, beliefs, political party, etc.
The world needs people of God to rise up with hearts of honor right now. Because honor is what allows the movement of God in our lives and in this world today (see Mark 6:4-5). While this message offers a lot of challenge and discomfort, I believe it offers even more invitation to shine the light of Christ into the areas of our life and this world we go into every single day.
I highly encourage you to watch the full sermon because it is so amazing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tYr3tm605c4. I hope these words both inspired you and challenged you, and most importantly, reminded us all of a really simple way we can be Christ to this world. Let’s be people of honor, who recognize greatness and celebrate people for who God created them to be and do.
Believers, it’s time to show up with the opposite spirit.
