Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you.
Exodus 20:12 (NIV)
Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be.
My Father will honor the one who serves me.
John 12:26 (NIV)
I just finished Why Honor Matters by Tamler Sommers. This book appeared at just the right time.
Recently, I had experienced “honor” in a new way in Kenya and was reflecting on its impact and uncertain about what to say. What was the background to this honor experience? A quick Google search revealed a new book by an author who also had been struggling.
“Over the past ten years, I’ve come to believe that honor is both real and valuable—indispensable, even, for living a good life in a good and just society. I’m convinced that our collective rejection of honor has come at great cost and that reclaiming it can improve our lives and our society. This book is my attempt to explain why.”
Tamler Sommers
The book helped to expand my interest and reflections. One concern was an absence of how faith traditions can “contain honor” or even how they “expand honor”. You need to read the book to get at the dimensions of this important idea.
For me, two other books have addressed honor cultures; Barking to the Choir: The Power of Radical Kinship and Tattoos on the Heart: The Power of Boundless Compassion by Father Greg Boyle. As a reader, I came to see how “honor” takes on a new dimension within this special faith community.
Lastly, I was reminded in scripture how God “lifts us up”, honors us. Honor commands family solidarity and promises a new place for our lives together. Who would want to reject this Great Honor?
Marvin
References:
Sommers, Tamler. Why Honor Matters (p. 5). Basic Books. Kindle Edition.
Hage, ML Showered with Love
Hage, ML Techniques and Transformation
Hage, ML Healing Kinships
