Honoring Others Honors God

 "Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other." (Romans 12:10, NLT) 

This morning I heard a message about honoring others.  This one really hit home for me.  Over the years I have struggled with "the wall".   I tend to have a wall up until my comfort brings it down.  I especially have a wall up to people who have treated me badly in the past or who I notice treat other people badly.  I have started to realize that we should always honor others, no matter what.  Your example of continued kindness and love could be the example that will set that person free and make them want to turn from their wicked ways and start showing love towards others.  God never gives up on us, so why should we give up on others? 

 I prayed about this countless times in hopes for an answer.  What I learned is that in order to love like God we must forgive like God.  God honors us every single day, so why shouldn't we honor other people, even those we don't feel like honoring?  It's so important to set that example.  Sure we have to watch who we keep in our closest most intimate circle but we also have watch how we treat others who are not in that close circle.  It doesn't hurt to treat others with respect and honor no matter what. 

I think about all the times God could have treated me badly because of how I lived my life and I'm so thankful he continued to love me.  He perfectly arranged people to be in my path who would love and honor me the way He did and if it were not for them loving like Him and setting that example, I might have stayed in that dark place.  So, today, I give thanks for the wonderful people who continued to love me and who showed me who God really is by their example and I encourage anybody reading this to be that shining example for somebody today! Praise be to Him for His wonderful glory and plan!