R.L. Faber

Honor Honor Where Honor Is Due www.rlfaber.com/honor.html March, 7, 2026

Purpose

The purpose of this article is to consider honor in the modern age where honor is no longer valued. God says to honor him of course, but we show honor to God in how we honor the authorities in our life. One very relevant example of honor is the honor due to father and mother. Another is to show honor to older ones. Years ago, in Old Testament days, it was said "You shall stand up before the gray head and honor the face of an old man, and you shall fear God: I am the LORD." (Lev 19:32)

Introduction

This article is mostly about honoring the older ones, the father and mother and the governing authorities of the land. It is through these examples of honoring that we show honor to God. There are other ways to specifically honor God, like following his rules and giving generously, but we are focusing on honor in the home and in society. We show honor to the king, or the appropriate authorities in the land/country/nation because God has put them in power sometimes to test us.

There is a mindset today of disrespecting parents. This often begins in middle school or high school where the secular mind controls the standards. This may come out in how a young person expects parents to pay for college, even while they ignore the expectations of parents.

This mindset comes out when a young person wants to have their independence in driving their own car or skipping attendance at church or having a complaing attitude. One of the parents may be trying to train the young person to live in honor according to the Bible. This parent may have spritual insight into what a young person needs while the other parent becomes an enabler. Occasionally, both parents agree and work together. If the young person is allowed to get away with showing dishonor to one of the parents, they win. They don't win before God, and God will eventually bring calamity in their life. But they will head down the path of self-indulgence and waste for countless years.

Main Point

In both the Old Testament and the New, the idea of honoring God, father, mother, and the authorities of the land, is very clear. The New Testament says it like this:

"Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. 'Honor your father and mother' (this is the first commandment with a promise), 'that it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land.'" (Eph 6:1-3)
Matthew 15:4-6: "For God commanded, 'Honor your father and your mother'... But you say, 'If anyone tells his father or his mother, "What you would have gained from me is given to God," he need not honor his father.' So for the sake of your tradition you have made void the word of God."

The Old Testament says,

Exodus 20:12: "Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you."

This changes as one goes from a child to an adult. The parent child relationship is based on maturity and adult responsible living behavior. If an adult is acting like a child, they have not given up childish ways. Sometimes parents enable this behavior. Responsible living means paying for your living, being willing to help parents financially if needed, willingness to help others in the family, others outside the family and being generous toward God in giving (livingexpenses).