By Jeanne Velasco Vicars
Honor is an interesting thing. People say that respect is earned. But that is of the world. Honor means to regard with great respect. And in the Bible, you can actually honor anyone. To affirm is to state something as a fact. Value is how important something is to you. The story of the Samaritan woman at the well comes to mind when talking about these things.
You have learned many things of the world ever since you were children. For example, they always say that “God helps those who help themselves.” So you will do all you can to provide for your family, thinking that God will have mercy on you. But you forget that God is actually the one who provides. You take care of your health by eating healthy food all the time. But you forget to ask God for healing when you are sick.
In John 4, it talks about the Samaritan woman. “Now he had to go through Samaria. When a Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus said to her, “Will you give me a drink?” The Samaritan woman said to him, “You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?” Jews do not talks to Samaritans. Samaritans believe that they are children of God. But Jews think that they are the ONLY children of God. And Jewish men also do not talk to women. But in the previous verses, Jesus gave honor to the Samaritan woman. Jesus would not have talked to her if He did not care for her. In the Kingdom Culture, you need to be inclusive. You have to accept and give significance to other people. That reflects your identity. You have to be people of honor. It is Christlikeness. For the Jews, other people are unclean. But in these verses, Jesus has an attitude of forgiveness. Before Jesus spoke to the Samaritan woman, He already made her feel that He was not judging her.
Sometimes, people do not talk to another because they do not like the way they dress. When someone is noisy, you do not talk to them because they steal the show. In the story of the Samaritan woman, the honor Jesus showed to her opened the door for Him to share the love of God. Forgiveness allows the Lord to step in.
1 Peter 3”1-4 says, “Wives, in the same way submit yourselves to your own husbands so that, if any of them do not believe the word, they may be won over without words by the behavior of their wives, when they see the purity and reverence of your lives. Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as elaborate hairstyles and the wearing of gold jewelry or fine clothes. Rather, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight.” Submit and surrender to your husband even in your spirit and God will work in your marriage relationship. Teach it to your children too. You are one spirit with your spouse. It is not only the woman who has those instincts. The man feels it too.
When God works on your marriage, you will see changes that you have never imagined. Jesus is the perfect example of honoring and giving value. He died for you even when you were still sinners. He knew God created you to be His own. Jesus values you.