Remember when you were a lad or lassie, and you loved your brothers and sisters, your aunts and uncles? You loved to play with the neighborhood kids, and had a pact for life with those you loved: your brothers and sisters and neighbors. You kept your word, told the truth, shook hands on your honor, went to church, and believed in the ten commandments and endeavored to keep them. Your word was your bond. Contracts were not necessary. You could trust others and strived to do your best in school, while treating your elders with respect and dignity, because they treated you in a good manner, too. Your parents didn’t lock the doors of your home. Does that reflect today’s life?
It has changed in our lives since the 1950′s. What shall you pass on the the youth of today? Everyman could start with honor.
What is honor? Websters defines it in a 1940′s dictionary, because the newer dictionaries are corrupted with atheism and Darwinism. Honor-(honos, whence honestus, honest) Esteem paid to worth: high estimation: reverence: veneration: any mark of respect or estimation by words or actions: dignity: exalted rank or place: distinction: reputation: good name: a nice sense of what is right, just and true: scorn of meanness: a particular virtue, as bravery or integrity in men and chastity in females: one who is that which is a source of glory or esteem: he who or that which confers dignity(an honor to his country): title or privilege or rank or birth: one of the highest trump cards as the ace, king, queen, or nave(jack):, respect now restricted, except among the vulgar, to the holders of certain offices (judges) v.t. to respect or treat with honor.
The King James Bible defines honor in Exodus 20:12 Honour thy father and thy mother; that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee. Deuteronomy 5:16 16 Honour thy father and thy mother, as the LORD thy God hath commanded thee; that thy days may be prolonged, and that it may go well with thee, in the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.
Everyman influences 200 people they know in their community along with relatives to whom they are related. This number was told me by a Funeral Home, who has funerals for people all the time. You can give anyone respect. You can be an example to your children, your neighbors, your friends and strangers. The two-hundred people was before Social Media! Now one blogger can reach around the globe and across social lines. Opinions can influence, educate, inspire and change the minds of others in a more positive way. We blog, twitter(old fashioned telephone party line), You Tube(home movies for the world to see) and Face-(ourselves and others on an Internet) Book. I love the idea that I can tell stories to all the children, besides my own.
Every person grows up and has to wrestle with our Father and Mother. It is like facing our own failings and wanting to blame them. But they are imperfect and so are we. We can accept them with all their faults and love them for the good they gave us. The way to restore yourself is to forgive them the pain and suffering in your own life you think they caused. Then, decide how you will live your life and move past their faults into your new habits. The Bible is a manual of all the faults of mankind and how the LORD can change your life into something new, for God has prepared a new thing in your life.
For those children whose Mother and Father abandoned them, there is a heavenly Father, whose Son is Jesus who said if you call on my name and accept me as Lord in your life, I will never leave you or forsake you. You will become my children, my heirs,and the adopted heirs of my kingdom for which there is no end. Jesus said I go to prepare a place for you(when you die) if it were not I so I would have told you. I know about abandonment, for my family abandoned me. It is very painful, but Jesus comes and fills that place that was designed for Him when he created you. It was His Master plan that you would never be alone. He love me and I love Him. And He will do the same for you.
So, when you are lonely, go help your neighbor. If you both walk together, you can help one another. Learn to help others and the good will come back to you. The Bible says give and it shall be given unto you pressed down, overflowing. Go and find a Christian Church and they can become your new family, for they are part of the kingdom of God on earth until we get to heaven.
I think honoring people is the best way insure that you have a place, too. However, a proverb says, “If you call evil good and good evil, evil will come into to your house forever.” You must use discernment of the character before you honor them.
You can respect everyone even when they are mean to you.
The hardest lesson I have learned in the Bible is this one. “Bless those that curse you, do good to them that revile you. . . ” When dealing with other people someone is going to offend you. It is better if you can learn not to take offense. It doesn’t matter what color your hair, your teeth or your shoe size. You cannot change that, and neither can the other person. You can change your mind, your attitude and your outlook of how we judge others. That is where we get into trouble: judging others. We have discernment between what is good and bad. That is built into us from childhood by our Creator. Judgment belongs to the Lord God. He says, “Love your neighbor, do good to them . . . ” Start there. Whatever is good, whatever is kind, make room for your neighbor to live beside you and give them graceful allowances for their differences that are not like you. One of you has to reach out to another. It might as well be you.
We desire to belong and connect with others. We want to be part of a community and neighborhood. Let it start with you. Give and it shall be given unto you, pressed down and overflowing will be given back to you.