Where is My Honor?
There is something about dishonor that makes my blood boil, but you would probably never expect to witness gross dishonor at a dentist office.
About eight years ago, I was waiting for a routine cleaning when I witnessed a dentist berate and demean the front desk receptionist right in front of me. It was so blatant and shocking that at first I thought it was a joke.
I had not seen this amount of dishonor towards a person in a very long time - especially in a professional environment like this.
The dentist left and I asked the receptionist, "Does he do that often?" She looked up at me with a saddened face, "All the time," she said.
I walked out the door and got into my car and started to drive away. But the image of what had taken place was too much for me to take.
I had to do something.
I turned my car around, went back in and asked if I could meet with the dentist privately. He obliged and I gently, but firmly, expressed my displeasure with the way that he treated his employee.
I don't think I'm alone in having strong feelings towards dishonor. This past football season demonstrated this as the NFL ratings plummeted following players kneeling during the National Anthem.
This concept of honor was reemphasized for me as I was reading the book of Malachi. The book of Malachi in a nutshell is series of oracles from God rebuking the Israelites for not giving him the honor that He is due.
In Malachi 1:6 God says, "A son honors his father, and a servant his master. If then I am a father, where is my honor?"
God goes on to lament the way that He has been treated by the Israelites and the Israelite leaders. God has received sub-par sacrifices, He has been spoken ill of, and the money that is due Him has not been given.
God was being dishonored and the people stood by in silence. Therefore, God defended his own honor through the prophet Malachi.
As frustrated as I get with dishonor, as I read this it made me self-reflect on whether I have been guilty of showing dishonor to God.
Perhaps I have dishonored God when I put my own issues and needs above Him.
Perhaps I have dishonored God by not giving Him the worship He deserves.
Perhaps I have dishonored God by not sharing Him with others.
Perhaps I have dishonored God with my attitude.
Perhaps I have dishonored God by the way I treat people.
Perhaps I have dishonored God by lacking faith in Him.
Perhaps I have dishonored God by failing to recognize that all I have is His.
All I know, is that while I may not intend to bring dishonor, there are certainly times when I probably come close to this line or even cross it.
I know that because of my faith in Jesus, God has forgiven me for my sin and shortcomings - even the sin of dishonoring Him, but nevertheless, as I read the Book of Malachi, it serves as a serious reminder that God is worthy of my full honor.
When God looks at my life, I want Him to be honored by what He sees.
