Day 8: Honor

What, I wonder, is "honor" exactly? Lois McMaster Bujold says that "reputation is what other people know about you, honor is what you know about yourself." And Rick Johnson, author of the wonderful book That's My Son, says "I want my son to have honor. To stand tall as the fierce winds of adversity blow around him. To cherish and protect women and children. To fight for justice and equality. To stand for something."

When I think of honor, I think of a knight in shining armor. A hero. A rescuer. A protector. My kids think that hero's are cool. But what fictional characters are they looking to and seeing hero-like qualities? I am doing my kids a disservice if I'm not pointing them to our true honorable hero - Jesus. Jesus is our great rescuer. He heroically laid down his life. I can't think of anything more honorable! Did you know that there ARE things worth dying for? I want my boys to live out God's plan for them - not MY plan for them. I want to raise little warriors who will courageously go forth into this dark world and honorably fulfill God's plan for them. I don't want to me a mommy that is intimidated or scared by their ambitious desire for honor.

If I want my boys to grow into honorable men, then what does that mean for me as their mommy? It means that first and foremost I need to pray over them - without ceasing. It means that I need to entrust them to God. It means that I cannot be afraid of God's plan for them, even if his plan involves danger or even death (yes, my husband was in the army, so I anticipate my boys will want to be too!). It means that I can't be afraid to sacrifice my feelings and even my loved ones for the well being or the furtherance of the Gospel!

Above all I am praying that my boys see Jesus and long to have a heart like his. I pray that they desire to be honorable and perform honorable tasks in His name. I pray that they will claim the name of Christ with absolute certainty and confidence that they are living for something bigger than themselves!

1 Chronicles 29:10-13

English Standard Version (ESV)

¹⁰Therefore David blessed the LORD in the presence of all the assembly. And David said: "Blessed are you, O LORD, the God of Israel our father, forever and ever. ¹¹ Yours, O LORD, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, for all that is in the heavens and in the earth is yours. Yours is the kingdom, O LORD, and you are exalted as head above all. ¹² Both riches and honor come from you, and you rule over all. In your hand are power and might, and in your hand it is to make great and to give strength to all. ¹³And now we thank you, our God, and praise your glorious name.