The Sacred Work of an Honorable Life
To live an honorable life is one brave decision to the next brave decision to the next brave decision. Because honor is who someone is, not just what someone does. It is formed in the small decisions so you are capable of making the big decisions.
With a sigh I say “everyone” is brave these days. Bravery has become one of those overused words. In a time where social media rewards bold opinions, viral moments, and personal vulnerability with applause (algorithm applause?), we've started labeling a wide range of actions-—some brave, some simply expressive--as brave. When everything from posting a no-makeup selfie to sharing an unpopular opinion is called bravery, the word becomes mushy because it is used without context or consequence. I define bravery as your decisions to actually trust God. That is full of vulnerability because with God there is not the guarantee of the controlled outcome you want. I hope you can feel that. I hope that feeling leads you to be inspired to do something more than posting a no-makeup selfie.
With a sigh I also say I wish for more honor in our culture today. Rude behaviors are up. The “othering” of people is up. The flakiness to keep commitments is up. I can keep listing more. So can you. What our exhausted and wounded souls need are more encounters with honor. Jesus is the healer of our souls, but it’s through the beautiful ways of Jesus—like honor—that we begin to feel whole again.
Honor in relationships means treating someone with deep respect—not just when things are easy, but especially when they’re not. (See the brave decision.) It’s seeing the other person’s value, even when they’re at their lowest. (See the brave decision.) It’s choosing to uphold their dignity and to speak to them—and about them—with care. (See the brave decision.) It’s being faithful, not just in body, but in spirit—loyal in presence, words, and tone. (See the brave decision.) It’s owning your mistakes, not shifting blame. (See the brave decision.)
In a world where relationships have become transactional or performative, honoring someone is radical. It’s slow. Intentional. Sacred. It makes love feel safe—not because it avoids conflict, but because it commits to navigating conflict with grace and truth. Honor makes love trustworthy.
Trustworthiness is found scarcely today. It increases our scarcity. Our souls are so tired because of the lack of trustworthiness.
On the wall of my church it says, “Together in this Room of Grace where I’m maturing into who I already am.” This is brave decision to brave decision to brave decision.
There is an everyday-ness to this. Every day we are in it. Not every day is good. Not every day is a step forward. But step forward we do by listening to what God may have next for us. Sometimes we get honorable days that become markers on our life path. But way more often we get everyday-ness as we listen to what God has next for us.
So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up. Galatians 6:9 NLT
This is the slow work of a soul becoming whole—not through the noise of grand gestures, but through the steady rhythm of brave, honorable choices made in the quiet. It’s in how we show up for others. It’s in how we speak when no one’s watching. It’s in how we keep saying yes to the next right thing, even when we’re tired, even when the outcome is unknown. In our noisy and immediate culture, honor is a path home. And as we keep walking, brave decision to brave decision to brave decision, we’re not just becoming trustworthy people. We’re becoming people who help others feel safe, seen, and deeply loved. That’s the kind of bravery this world is desperate for.
Questions for Reflection:
- How does practicing honor in the "everyday-ness" of life lead to becoming a whole person?
- How does Galatians 6:9 encourage us in the slow work of becoming whole?
