Honor, Day 66

I am reminded today of Noah. After the flood In Chapter 9 of Genesis Noah planted a vineyard. He got drunk and became uncovered in his tent. Kind of like how Adam and Eve realized they were uncovered after they had eaten the fruit. Ham noticed his drunken dad and exposed his father’s nakedness BUT Shem and Japheth covered Noah. After Noah woke up he cursed Ham and all of his decedents. Apparently Ham did something really bad.

I love God the best I know how. I love people the best I know how. But I’m SOOOOO good at judging people. I notice flaws as if they were printed on a sign around someone’s neck. I pray against pride and I struggle to overlook imperfection but it is a struggle. I do the same with myself. I pick apart every word I say, every thought I think, everything. You’d think my eyes were magnifying glasses. I’m pretty sure that God made me the way I am but I think that no matter what I see, no matter how much magnifying these eyes might do there is a very important lesson in Genesis chapter 9 that I tend to overlook most of the time. Shem and Japheth covered Noah.

1 Peter 2:17 says “Honor ALL people.” Matt 5:44 and 45 says “love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you that you may be sons of your Father in heaven…” God’s not asking us to ignore people’s flaws but he is asking us to cover them, to NOT expose them, to pray for those flawed people and to be a blessing to them. Honor all people. We love because He first loved us (1 john 4:19). Honor all people. I think I need to wear this as a sign around my neck.

Therefore submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake, whether to the king as supreme, or to governors, as to those who are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and for the praise of those who do good. For this is the will of God, that by doing good you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men--as free, yet not using liberty as a cloak for vice, but as bondservants of God. 17 Honor all people. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king.
1 Pet. 2: 13-17