The Currency of Honor- Honorable Giver, Honorable Receiver (February 4th Lesson 4 (Part 1))
- Yewande Olapade
- Feb 8, 2023
- 4 min read
Winter 2023 Table Talk
Valentine is coming. Honor is costly.
While the cost of an item includes its price, there is a difference between a price and a cost. Let me add some principle of economics flavor to this note- a cost is the amount you paid to produce something. The cost of something also includes the amount you gave up in producing the item- the opportunity cost. Whereas a price is the amount of money that a buyer gives to a seller in exchange for an item. The price of an article depends on its value. What you give in honor is a function of your value for that individual.
In this fourth week of our Table talk, through the lens of David and his family, we draw two lessons on honor- the principle of giving and the honor code for leadership. The lessons from David on giving is covered in this article, while future blog posts will focus on the lessons on leadership from David and his family.
Are you a good giver? Are you a good receiver?
The story from 2 Samuel 24 shows how David gave an honorable offering to God. God allowed or we can say He permitted David’s ego to lead him into a sin of commission. In 2 Samuel 22-23, we see David bragging about his military might and how he has benefitted from the gift of honors from the strong men of David. There was a time that some of these men risk their lives to get David a cup of water. David upon receiving the cup of water couldn’t drink, because he valued the giver more than the gift. Not all things are gifts, some are rewards.
David himself had showed honor in several instances- to God, to his father- Jesse, his mentor- King Saul, his family, his friend- Jonathan and even to unknown and untitled men, including the men at the cave of Adullam and Mephibosheth the son of Saul. Honor attracts honor. Honor is a reward of honor. Several of the strong men of David also killed giants because the currency of honor they spent on David avail them victory over giants. Honor invokes a transfer of grace from the receiver to the giver.
Honor is based on who you are and not on what or how people treat you. Honor to God and men brought David to the throne as king. The currency of honor sustained David while running away from Saul. There is a lot of lessons on honor to learn from David, a man whom the bible called the man after God’s heart. I can write a whole book on David!
We are told in 2 Samuel 24 that David decided to count Israelites army even against the advice from his right-hand man- Joab. Can we say this is part of God’s plan and a display of His sovereignty? The counting took about 90 days, yet God watched David. Sometimes when God is quiet, He is communicating. After the census was completed, David felt bad. God wasn’t happy and wanted to punish David. Sin brings punishment. God proposed three punishments trough Prophet Gad- 1. hunger for three years, 2. fall in the hand of your enemy for three months and 3. a plague of the size of COVID for three days. Why is there a three in all the punishments? David, knowing how loving God is, chose the punishment that would put him right in the palm of God because His mercy is great. The punishment sent out an angel of death to kill the Israelites.
Honor is the thin line between favor and mercy. Most beneficiary of God's favor had shown honor. David received an intelligent from Prophet Gad to give an offering to appease God. At this point, 70,000 people already died. David quickly rushed to the threshing floor of Araunah to raise an altar. Rasing an alter means the location becomes a sacred place and unavailable for any other activity. Araunah was open to give David everything for the sacrifice including the animal. David said, I won't give God an offering that does not cost me nothing. Jesus is the cost of atonement for our sins. Jesus paid it All!
An honorable offering comes with cost(s). Sometimes it is your Treasure like the Zarephath woman, your Time like Mary at the feet of Jesus while Martha was cooking, your Personality, even your ego like Paul, your Energy like David.
David teaches us a couple of lessons on mastering the art of honorable giving to the Lord and people:
Honor is in the delivery- it is not in doing, but also how you do it. How you give your offering or seed matters.
An honorable giving is sacrificial.
An honorable giving is cheerful.
An honorable giving is needful.
An honorable giving is generous.
An honorable giving is strategic. Attach your seed to a fruit.
An honorable giving is commensurate or relative to your status.
An honorable giving is timely. It is dishonorable to give gift after the occassion.
Read slides for more…
It is better to give and receive, not than receive. Most of us are better at giving than receiving. We give to our children, our spouses, our friends, non-profit, our families and to every need around us. But it takes self-awareness, humility, and confidence to be a good receiver. Being a good receiver is honoring to the giver. A good receiver allows other in his or her space.
Valentine is in a couple of days, and you can use that to practice the art of receiving. Receiving takes practice and shows confidence. It is not the type of "I deserve it feeling", but a confidence that comes from, "I am worth it". Many relationships are suffering not because people are not giving to each other, but because they are not receiving from each other.
Here are some lessons on Mastering the art of receiving:
An honorable receiver allows others in their lives. Allow people to honor you with their gifts.
An honorable receiver shows appreciation and gratitude. Say thank you!
An honorable receiver uses/implements what was given. If you are not going to use the gift, respectfully decline. That is way better than dropping it in the trash.
An honorable receiver honors the giver by giving back something, not necessarily matching the price of what was gifted.
An honorable receiver share what was received.
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