August 26, 2024
Grant me, oh Lord, to know what I ought to know, love what I ought to love, to praise what delights you most, the value what is precious in your sight, to hate what is offensive to you. Amen.
Thomas `A Kempis in Little Book of Prayers
Romans 12:10
“Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other”
In last Friday's devotion, we suggested that valuing one another is a key ingredient of honor. Today, let's explore the idea that honoring each other involves humility. One interpretation of Romans 12:10 expresses it as, "Honor one another above yourselves" (NIV). It's about serving others, giving them the place of honor instead of seeking it for ourself, and helping them to succeed .
The other day I read a confession of sorts from a man named Brent. He was an exceptional pianist. He recalled that when he was a young man, he had the honor of accompanying a famous singer at his church. Brent saw this as a chance to showcase his keyboard ability. During a rehearsal, he dazzled everyone by gliding his fingers across the keys in true showman fashion, complementing the opening verses of her song.
After the rehearsal, the singer paused, turned to Brent with a grin, and exclaimed, "You know, Brent, I'm quite the wonderful accompanist for you!" Brent said, with her words something clicked for him . He realized his role – he was the accompanist. His job was to back her vocals, never outshining her or drawing attention to his own talents. Simply put, his mission was to do all he could to enhance her performance and make her shine.
To honor each other is to be each other's "accompanist," helping one another to shine. The Message paraphrase of Romans 12:10 captures this beautifully with the phrase, "Practice playing second fiddle." To mix metaphors, it's about knowing when to pass the ball and let someone else take the shot.
So, let us "take delight in honoring each other."
LET US PRAY
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