DNA: God Is Honorable
Well, 
I missed last weeks sermon but pastor Jeff tells me I missed him talking about one of the passages I feel is life changing if we can but follow it, Phil 2:1-11 (see my study My Rights!). Pastor Bart fortunately used it today as well. He started his sermon by showing how being a powerful leader does not equal honorable, e.g., Hitler, Stalin, Mau Zedong. Pastor Bart defined honorable as doing something selflessly for others. We see this in Phil 2. Jesus was honorable, it is in His DNA.
Other sermon notes:
1 Cor 13:4-5 defines a part of God’s DNA of love, showing us how He is honorable.
There is a fine line between dishonorable and honorable. Example: slandering to get a raise, working hard to get a raise, volunteering without getting anything in return. Hoarding, giving to a friend in need, giving anonymously. There are many things that this world calls honorable but really are just average, even mediocre.
Calvin Coolage on honor, ““No person was ever honored for what he received. Honor has been the reward for what he gave.””
Our genes come from our parents, when God becomes our Father, we receive His DNA.
Pastor of course asked us to ask ourselves the hard question, “Would people call me honorable? Would I even call myself honorable?”
First, I am not sure but that calling oneself honorable is the same as calling oneself humble. But do others see me as honorable? I guess I have to ask myself the question, “What have I done selflessly, without thought of reward or honor?” What have I done for others in a way that they might not even know?
If I have done so, to answer that here publicly would be as wrong as boasting about how humble I was in a certain situation. Instead, let me mention some ways we can be honorable that we often do not think about.
I have a strong belief that tithes and offerings to our church should be given anonymously. It isn’t always easy to do so and all too often we say something silly like, “But then I can’t deduct it on my taxes.” I have to admit, writing a check is a lot easier than getting cash and putting it into the offering box but tithing and giving anonymously is the “Jesus thing” (see my study On Giving).
Try sending a “Get Well” card anonymously or better yet, do a ‘ring the doorbell and run’ tactic, leaving a full 5 course meal on the doorstep (well, in today’s suspicious world, maybe that wouldn’t be a good idea).
Volunteer for that one job at church that nobody really wants to do.
Leave an “atta boy” message on the desk of a fellow worker, no signature!
I think you get the idea. Pastor’s challenge to me is to find ways to do things for others that build them up without bringing any attention to myself. And I hope you take up that challenge too.