It is natural for us to give “cheap” honor as mentioned in Isaiah 29:13,14, “This people honors me with their lips but their hearts are far from me.” The key to true honor is the placement of our heart because where our treasure is there our heart will be also (see Matthew 6:19). We anchor ourselves in God’s place for us by putting our heart where it belongs. This is accomplished by intentionally honoring the people God has placed in our lives to help us. These are the people that we give our attention to so that we will hear what we need to hear amid the various voices around us, helping us to discern the difference between the world, the flesh, and the enemy.
Honor is the currency of heaven. Deposits we make into people by honoring them are one way we place our treasure in heaven—only people are eternal—so only what we invest in them can last into eternity. All the gifts and abilities that God has given us are tools that we can use to make these investments (see Galatians 6:6).
As we make deposits of honor, it strengthens those who are called to invest their heavenly treasure in our lives (such as the 5-fold ministry), and enables them to give more. We are not really honoring someone unless it costs us something and is what he or she wants.
What heavenly investments have you made recently in others? Talk to your spouse or a good friend about ways to honor significant people in your life. If you are a parent, then remember to help your children learn about honor by encouraging them to make a habit of it while they are young.