The Word of God is a book in which the culture in which it was written was one of honor and shame. If we do not understand honor and shame, not psychological shame, but rather shame as disgraceful or disrespectful, we will miss the jewels that are to be unearthed in the word of God. I have been talking to a friend of mine about honor this week and the power of honor. We have been seeing how a lack of honor actually causes issues in the church, family and community. But we have also realized, honor starts with our hearts and how we treat others. So, we have agreed to be women of honor, even when we are not treated with honor.

Then today as I am reading Luke 7, I read about a Roman Centurion and how he honored a Jewish rabbi (Jesus), but what the Lord spoke to me is about the result of honor. Here is what Luke 7 says, “Now Jesus started on His way with them; and when He was not far from the house, the centurion sent friends, saying to Him, “Lord, do not trouble Yourself further, for I am not worthy for You to come under my roof; for this reason I did not even consider myself worthy to come to You, but just say the word, and my servant will be healed.” The Roman Centurion honored Jesus and his authority as a Jewish rabbi, so did not consider himself worthy to have Him in his house. That was an act of honor, the highest honor, recognizing who Jesus was, not as Messiah, but as a Jewish rabbi. Powerful.

The result of this level of honor for Jesus as a Jewish rabbi brought healing to the Centurions slave. The Holy Spirit said to me, “Honor has the power to heal.” As I thought about this, I began to wonder if the reason we do not see more healing in our services is because there is such a lack of honor among our members? When men don’t honor women, women don’t honor men, we don’t honor our leaders or our leaders don’t honor us, if youth don’t honor adults or adults don’t honor youth, if children don’t honor parents or parents don’t honor children, and yet want God to come and heal us, send revival to us, bless us financially. I wonder if we started honoring each other and honoring the Lord, if we would find that healing breaks out.

I believe there is an untapped power in honor. Honor is an issue of the heart that manifests in our attitude toward one another. Honor thinks more highly of others than it does of themselves. Honor, I believe is where we are going to see healing, for if we honor the Lord and honor each other, the presence of God is going to do miracles in our midst. In the West, we must learn how to honor, it is a biblical principle and very valuable in the kingdom of God.