Higher Ground

eDevotion

Encouragement for your daily walk with God 

As I was listening to some political banter the other day, an opponent of a candidate said, “He is not an honorable man.” Honorable. We don’t hear that said of a person as much as in previous days. It seems we now hear mostly about how dishonorable someone is.

I opened my computer’s dictionary to find that honorable means, having or showing honesty and good moral character; being fair and proper; not deserving blame or criticism.

That sounds like a standard that all Christ followers should aspire to reach… and live daily! Honorable is a biblical word as well. Paul talked about it in his second letter to the Corinthian Christ followers. He said he wanted to do what was honorable in the sight of God and man. When we behave like that, the world gets a glimpse of the God we love and worship. 

I need to do the honorable thing here and say that sometimes, my thoughts, words, and behavior is less than honorable. How about you? It’s humbling, isn’t it? So let’s keep pursuing it. We’re starting a new week. Let’s take a second look at our reaction to the people we see around us and the situations we find ourselves in. Perhaps we’ll find, like the Apostle Paul did, that while some things are permissible, they may not be the most honorable. He wrote, “Everything is permissible for me”—but not everything is beneficial. “Everything is permissible for me”—but I will not be mastered by anything” [1 Corinthians 6:12].

When I was younger, we sang this old hymn:

I’m pressing on the upward way,

New heights I’m gaining every day;

Still praying as I’m onward bound,

“Lord, plant my feet on higher ground.”

(1892 Higher Ground, Rev. Johnson Oatman, Jr.)

“Higher ground.” That’s where you find what is honorable.

For we are taking pains to do what is honorable, not only in the eyes of the Lord but also in the eyes of men. 2 Corinthians 8:21