Honor, to the Shame of ... Part Two

Honor, to the Shame of… Part Two 

“And He said to them, “Now draw some out and take it to the master of the feast.” So they took it. When the master of the feast tasted the water now become wine, and did not know where it came from (though the servants who had drawn the water knew), the master of the feast called the bridegroom and said to him, “Everyone serves the good wine first, and when people have drunk freely, then the poor wine. But you have kept the good wine until now.” This, the first of His signs, Jesus did at Cana in Galilee, and manifested his glory. And His disciples believed in Him.”  John 2:8-11 (ESV) 

Saving family honor was definitely the underscore when we read about the Wedding at Cana. Even though we read this as Jesus’ first miracle in the Bible we might want to take note here something that else is happening. “Everyone serves the good wine first” is a really great way to impress the wedding guests. Everything from the food to music had to be made to the approval of everyone in attendance. The bridegroom had to make that first impression in order for his families honor to be preserved. Once he had that, his place in the whole of the family was assured and approved of. 

The focus of those folks in the Eastern world, third world or in Biblical times on honor and shame meant that they were particularly oriented to what a group held to be honorable or shameful. Here in the west we tend to keep this in an individual sense. And in the urban setting it has taken this respect/disrespect sense. Where respect has more value than human life and that disrespecting is a challenge that cannot go unanswered. I find that those individuals that offend easily are the ones who feel disrespected the quickest. They gain their honor just for a name’s sake and not for the community as a whole. 

I wonder if we realize the level of “disrespect” we give God when His name is spoken ill of? Those of us in Secular-land can hear the name of God spoken in ways that make you kind of slide a little to the left of those saying them after they have uttered their dishonoring words. What of those Christians who even invoke His name in hopes of bringing a calamity down on someone? We need to keep in mind that God will vindicate His name by bringing down punishment on those who choose to dishonor Him. I think it is the most dishonoring of Elohim when we hear everyday people complain about the weather. Without His common grace upon us all this planet could get rather hot and dark. 

What of the honoring we do when we pray “In the name of”…? If you are in your Wednesday night prayer group you might have heard this. I would like to attribute this to when we are coming to the throne of grace, humble and contrite, asking for what we know we cannot do on our own. I have heard His name uttered in English, Spanish and in Hebrew. Coming with your requests “In the Name of Jesus the Christ” needs to be held in the highest honor given to whom who gave Himself for you. A great reason for you to defend His honor in public when you hear His name uttered by dishonoring lips. 

I hope you are getting the idea that your Savior doesn’t just want you to love Him with all your mind, heart, strength and soul but that you also honor Him by maintaining a right relationship with all three parts of the Godhead. There is one more aspect to cover concerning the honor/shame system we need to look at. In the last part of this we will see how easy it was for men to get angry and do whatever was needed to do to regain honor…even if that honor was based in those things not of God but allowed by Him none the less. Things that were at the very heart of a people who thought they had the honor/shame system down to a science. – Chris Hughes is a graduate of the Colony of Mercy and member of the Freedom Fighter Team

Team YOU: Exodus 29-30; Proverbs 2; Matthew 21:23-46

Motivations: “The man who has God for his treasure has all things in One.”-A.W.Tozer

Practice to Remember: Level 1: Ephesians 2:10; Level 2: Ephesians 2:11-18

Powered Up:  The Lord is great and high, therefore He wants great things to be sought from Him and is willing to bestow them so that His almighty power might be shown forth. Martin Luther