The fear of the Lord is instruction in wisdom, and humility comes before honor

Proverbs 15:33

What exactly is honor? The word takes on different meanings in our vocabulary. Maid of honor, Guest of honor, “On my honor…”, “Duty, honor, country”.

Honor suggests being held in high esteem – the bride’s most loved and trusted friend or relative, the person with whom everyone at the party wants to visit.

Honor also infers a sense of trustworthiness – a Scout’s oath that begins with “On my honor…”, the U.S. Military Academy’s motto, “Duty, honor, country.”

Clearly, honor is something to which we as human beings aspire. To live up to such an admirable trait, we need look no further than today’s verse, “Humility comes before honor” (Proverbs 15:33b).

What does that mean for us? All Scripture points us to Jesus Christ, who humbled Himself to be born and live as a human, to serve His disciples by washing their feet, and finally, to submit to Roman authorities and His Father’s will and be nailed to the cross to save us all from our sins. Only after His Resurrection three days later did Jesus receive the honor He was due as our Lord and Savior.

Humbling ourselves is tough. It requires putting others’ needs and wishes above our own. Admitting we don’t have all the answers. Asking for forgiveness.

It involves the “fear of the Lord,” which is explained in NIV notes as “a loving reverence for God that includes submission to his lordship and belief in his promises.”

Prayer

Father God, thank You for Your promise of eternal life through Your Son, and the honor of taking our place in Heaven one day. Until then, help us to embrace humility and model Jesus’ example to everyone we encounter.

Daily Reading: Psalm 19

– Contributed by Tracy Dunn