Honor is the currency of heaven.

Honor recognizes and affirms that every person is valuable and powerful. We are made in God’s image; He died to restore us to relationship with Him, therefore we are significant.

Be devoted to one another in brotherly love; give preference to one another in honor;

Romans 12:10

Honor recognizes and celebrates the best in people, in spite of our differences. We respond to people based on their God-given identity and the honor in our hearts, not their behavior or self-definition.

For the body is not one member, but many. If the foot says, “Because I am not a hand, I am not a part of the body,” it is not for this reason any the less a part of the body. And if the ear says, “Because I am not an eye, I am not a part of the body,” it is not for this reason any the less a part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? I  f the whole were hearing, where would the sense of smell be? But now God has placed the members, each one of them, in the body, just as He desired. If they were all one member, where would the body be? But now there are many members, but one body. And the eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you”; or again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” On the contrary, it is much truer that the members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary; and those members of the body which we deem less honorable, on these we bestow more abundant honor, and our less presentable members become much more presentable, whereas our more presentable members have no need of it. But God has so composed the body, giving more abundant honor to that member which lacked, so that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.

1 Corinthians 12:14-26

Honor is demonstrated through consistent respect in word and action toward those we lead, follow, love and disagree with. While honor avoids controlling others, it also lovingly confronts, limits, and disciplines when necessary.

If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. And if I give all my possessions to feed the poor, and if I surrender my body to be burned, but do not have love, it profits me nothing. Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

1 Corinthians 13:1-7

The level of honor we have for a person directly affects our ability to receive from them.

He who receives you receives Me, and he who receives Me receives Him who sent Me. He who receives a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet’s reward; and he who receives a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man’s reward. And whoever in the name of a disciple gives to one of these little ones even a cup of cold water to drink, truly I say to you, he shall not lose his reward.”

Matthew 10:40-42

• You’ll never have what you refuse to honor.  

We love people even if we do not receive anything from them in return.

But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

Romans 5:8

We regularly ask God to help us see the people in our lives as He does and to encourage them with the truths He tells us about them.

Therefore from now on we recognize no one according to the flesh; even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him in this way no longer. Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.

2 Corinthians 5:16-17

We recognize where other people fit in the body of Christ, celebrate their individuality, and make room for their gifts to be expressed.

Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit. And there are varieties of ministries, and the same Lord. There are varieties of effects, but the same God who works all things in all persons. But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.

1 Corinthians 12:4

We do not always have to agree with everyone or have the same opinions.  But we DO have to honor the truth.

 So they ordered them to leave the room while they discussed the matter. Among themselves, they said, 16 “What should we do with these men? Everyone in Jerusalem can clearly see that they’ve performed a notable sign and wonder—we can’t deny that. 17 But to keep this propaganda from spreading any further among the people, let’s threaten them severely and warn them to never speak to anyone in this name again.”  18 So they had them brought back in before the council, and they commanded them to never teach the people or speak again using the name of Jesus. 19 But Peter and John replied, “You can judge for yourselves—is it better to listen to you or to God? 20 It’s impossible for us to stop speaking about all the things we’ve seen and heard!”  21 Since the members of the council couldn’t come up with a crime they could punish them for, they threatened them once more and let them go. All the people praised God, thrilled over the miraculous healing of the crippled man. 

23 As soon as they were released from custody, Peter and John went to the other believers and explained all that had happened with the high priest and the elders. 24 When the believers heard their report, they raised their voices in unity and prayed,  

29 So now, Lord, listen to their threats to harm us. Empower us, as your servants, to speak the word of God freely and courageously. 30 Stretch out your hand of power through us to heal, and to move in signs and wonders by the name of your holy Son, Jesus!” 31 At that moment the earth shook beneath them, causing the building they were in to tremble. Each one of them was filled with the Holy Spirit, and they proclaimed the word of God with unrestrained boldness.

Acts 4:15-31 (TPT)

People can choose to behave their way out of relationship and connection with us.

But avoid foolish controversies and genealogies and strife and disputes about the Law, for they are unprofitable and worthless. Reject a factious man after a first and second warning, knowing that such a man is perverted and is sinning, being self-condemned.

Titus 3:9-11

Declarations:

1. I love and honor myself and others well. Every person is powerful, valuable, and significant because we are all made in God’s image. 
2. I easily recognize and celebrate the best in people! 
3. I honor and respond to people based on their God-given identity and value, not their behavior. 
4. I am quick to love my enemies and pray for those who persecute me. 
5. I see the people in my life the way God does. It’s easy for me to regularly encourage them with the truths He shows me about them.