The Missing Link called Honour
Success hinges on honour
One of the greatest tragedies we will ever face is that of unfulfilled potential. Sadly every time potential goes down the drain, some honour issue will be involved and neglected. Honour is such a vital cog of human lives and with it success. It is mostly important in Christian circles because God is the first honourable man the world has ever known. Honour is what makes Christianity what it is, because it is founded on the pillars of a son who chose to honour his father’s heart to the point of death. Honour, thus looks and validates Christian protocols. Both success and failure hinge on the fundamentals of honour or dishonour.
Honour is not confused
When it comes to honour, all things are very clear. It does not hinge on the cornerstone of confusion and bitterness. It is built and modelled on the fundamentals of respect and dignity. God is the head of Christ. Christ is the head of the Church. The pastor is the leader of the sheep. The father is the head of the family and the mother is the head of the children. Honour is very clear and does not create a crisis of confusion or a cocktail of pure unbridled frustration. Honour thus feeds on the observation, appreciation and godly dictates and protocols.
What is Honour?
Up to this time, we have discussed some interesting nuggets about honour. Yet the question remains, what is honour? Honour is a high level of self-esteem and respect directed towards a senior figure or a person in authority. It can also be considered a godly act which reveals a submitted heart and a committed soul, committed soul to a cause. It is the very fabric of Jehovah God’s rulership. God demands it, Christ demands it and by extension spiritual and biological fathers demand it.
The Christian Journey
I am grateful that by God’s grace, I am a Christian and can speak authoritatively on that subject matter as I have the credentials practically and academically. The journey of every Christian is manifested in four distinct phases. Wanderer-Visitor-Member-Minister-Son (Leader). Sonship is the highest level of fellowship in the Kingdom of Light. However, it comes with both rights and responsibilities. Sonship entitles a son as an heir to the father’s estate. Yet there are also obligations which rest squarely on the shoulders of sons. Those who choose to live in honour of their fathers spiritually or biologically are candidates for success. Honour birthes prosperity, whether you like it or not. The truth is that you cannot stop the rising of the son or the falling of the rain. You ought to honour to maximize your relevance in this and eternal life. Those who honour will thrive and prosper beyond human imagination. But the rebels and dissidents have their portion of torture in a dry and thirsty land.
The Importance of Honour
The first reason why honour is so important is that it is the Kingdom way. Jesus Christ chose to honour his father to the point of death. Remember he came to earth to show and model the way.
Honour has the unique ability of producing more honour when it is recognized. It will always produce more honour whenever it is recognized . Jesus Christ honoured God to the grave but God had to honour him more. He gave him a name above every other name so that at the mention of that name ,every knee must bow and every tongue confess. Honour validates Kingdom Discipline and protocols. God runs the well-lubricated machinery the human race will ever know, however, this machinery draws its power from honour. Understanding the hierarchy is crucial for the achievement of Kingdom Success. Honour makes you realise that you need others and you are not an ivory tower. It makes you the ideal leader because of the furnace experience which will build you into a believer who is a blessing. It gives you the right to receive from an honourable God who is gracious in all things. It makes you live in a world of appreciation because you know you are a small cog of a much-lubricated machine.
Honour consolidates your gains and ensures that you will not lose your blessings to senseless arrogance and wishy-washy thinking. Honour is thus a very big facet of your corporate, spiritual and biological success.
Practical Cases for Honour
The Bible is awash with men and women who demonstrated high levels of honour and were duly rewarded. Prophet Elisha easily comes to mind. He was a well-established farmer who chose to become a disciple of Elijah. His daily assignments as a junior prophet included washing Elijah’s hands and his clothes. He never got arrogant or frustrated but instead chose to persist until he got blessed into the office of a major prophet. Since honour demands honour, Elisha got a double portion of honour and the anointing. This made him double the dead people raised by Elijah. Elijah closed the heavens for three and half years but Elisha closed it for seven years. Joshua was an armour bearer and not even an elder but he jumped all the offices into the office of Leader or President of Israel through honour. He even managed to achieve what his great mentor failed to do, that is take the people to the Promised Land.
Esther was an orphan who operated in honour of her uncle Mordechai. She was taught to disguise her identity as a Jew and did it to the letter. Her honour propelled her to the level of a Queen. Even as a Queen, she continued to honour her uncle.
God himself honours hierarchy that is why he instructed Saul to go to Straight Street to receive his healing for eyesight. He is God but he needs you to achieve things through honour. All political and family mayhems are birthed through the lack of honour. Honour is the mother of all religious and political harmony.
May the leader in you rise to conquer, Christ remains the ultimate leader. Follow Christ and men will follow you. The next level has become a reality in your life. Rise and shine because your season is here.
Dr.Ted Msipa is a Multiple Author, Master Mentor, Coach, Leadership Strategist and Pastor.