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Honouring The Honourable
1 Timothy 5:17 'The elders who direct the affairs of the church well are worthy of double honour, especially those whose work is preaching and teaching.' (NIV)
 When we honour godly people, we honour God who made them, called them and gave them their special gifts. What's more, when we talk up the success of others, we set ourselves up to emulate them, because we tend to imitate those whom we most admire. Many people will say that they honour someone else, but they try to do it without telling anybody. In the Bible, honouring others requires tangible action. It can't be done behind someone's back! Honouring someone means that you talk up their successes, you brag about their faith and you celebrate their deeds. Everything about the Kingdom of darkness is secretive, hidden and afraid of the light. That's what the word 'occult' means – hidden from sight. On the other hand, everything about the Kingdom of God is accessible and set in the open. If we're going to truly honour someone, in a godly way, we must do it openly and in full view. Honour is a practical thing. In fact, Paul sometimes talked about honouring those who have shared God's gifts with us by giving them financial assistance. The world needs to see examples of godly honour in the church. We shouldn't wait until people are dead before we talk about the great impact they've had on our lives!
Prayer: 'Father, help me to honour people in my life who have made a deep impression on me. I want to glorify you by openly celebrating – and imitating- those whom you've given as examples to me. Help me not to wait until someone dies before I tell how much they've meant to me!'
© 2003-2004 Mal Fletcher
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I watched Mal's inspiring EDGES presentation on bioethics. Scientists who do genuine research are a boon to humanity. Physicians do everything they can, fighting to save a life. This is based on the image of the Creator in every human being.
Rev Canon Dr Lakshman Peiris
Your article about Daniel in Babylon is spot on. As 21st Century Christians our challenge is to find appropriate forums to join the conversation & refrain from adopting a defensive posture.
Tom Rawls, United Kingdom
Iron sharpens Iron. Even though your Daily Recharge sometimes wakes me up quicker than coffee, I love the "sharp" way you work for God.
Robert, Germany
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