“Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.” Mat 5:4
Honor is the way of the Kingdom. God Himself dwells in an atmosphere of “honor and glory” (eg, 1 Tim 1:17; 2 Pet 1:17; Rev 5:13). Another way of expressing this is to say God is drawn to, attracted by, and manifests Himself in the place where honor is practiced. Whenever the Kingdom of God is present, a culture of honor and respect is reflected in relationships and institutions.
This by itself should stir us to intentionally promote honor in all our interactions; for when we do, we are inviting the power and influence of Heaven to invade our broken and fallen world. Of course the opposite is also true. The enemy’s kingdom is irreverent, unscrupulous, contemptible. Harboring these attitudes is tantamount to opening the door for dark forces to have dominion and create a fully “crooked and perverted” culture (Phil 2:15 CSB). That is such an accurate description of what we are watching unfold around us!
In the Christian worldview, the standard of honor is hoisted over every manner of relationship. Husbands and wives honor each other. Children honor their parents. We show honor to the elderly, and towards leadership whether in the church, in the work place, or towards civil authorities. We honor acts of heroism and sacrifice, we dignify the rights of the unborn, and we honor those who have passed on before us (Eph 5:21,33; 6:1-3; Lev 19:32; 1 Tim 5:17; Eph 6:5-9; Rom 13:1-7; Act 8:2; Ps 139:13-16; Deu 34:8).
Jesus spoke of a day when people’s hearts would grow cold and unresponsive to lamenting and mourning their dead (Mat 11:17). He likely saw a generation arising that would tear down the statues of its heroes and fathers. Whether due to being completely self-absorbed, emotionally paralyzed, or ideologically distracted, Jesus does not specify the reason for this perplexing shift. But two things are clear: this is a dangerous place to be in, and we are now living through such a time.
Joseph stands out as a man who well understood the principle of honor. Though Prime Minister of Egypt, when he heard his father Jacob was dying, he took time off from his heavy responsibilities and brought his two sons to their frail grandpa’s bedside. He immediately perked up! This literally resulted in what I call a 3D blessing: Direct, Double, and Distinct. The boys received a direct blessing of the laying on of hands from Jacob, Joseph’s portion in the land was two tribes and not one, and the prophecy of Joseph’s legacy released by Jacob was the longest and by far the most positive among all his brothers. As he alone was moved to honor his father in this way, although Jacob released words over all of his sons, only Joseph’s prophesy contained the word “bless”— repeated six times!
This is a tangible testimony of the truth of Jesus’ injunction. Mourning as the penultimate act of showing honor unlocks blessings. But Jesus does not stop there. He goes on to say it also is brings comfort to those who are moved to mourn. People who do not take the time to reflect upon the example or consider the sacrifices and contributions of those who have passed on before them are forfeiting a deep-seated cry in the heart of us all: the need to have our tears wiped away, and have assuaging words that implant abiding peace spoken over us in times of loss, grief, and affliction.
While being “blessed” is a sustained state of contentment, the addition of comfort points to healing as well. In fact, our English translation here is weak, for the Greek word parakaleo is one of the names of the Holy Spirit, also called the “Comforter”, meaning an advocate, companion, guide, and personal instructor—literally meaning one called alongside.
God wants His precious sons and daughters to be positioned squarely beneath the spout that pours forth blessing and comfort from the base of His throne. One sure way to open Heaven’s spigot is to do as Romans 12:10 commands us: “outdo one another in showing honor” (ESV).