What does the Bible teach about honor?

from the old testament

• God calls His people to honor Him above all else (Exodus 20:3; Deuteronomy 6:5; Psalm 29:2; Malachi 1:6).
• Proverbs 3:9 calls us to honor the Lord with our wealth and firstfruits of all our produce.
• First Samuel 2:30 says that God will honor those who honor Him. A prophet told the priest Eli, "Therefore the LORD, the God of Israel, declares: 'I promised that your house and the house of your father should go in and out before me forever.’'"
• The Lord warned against those who honor Him with their lips but not their hearts. In Isaiah 29:13–14, "The Lord said: 'Because this people draw near with their mouth and honor me with their lips, while their hearts are far from me, and their fear of me is a commandment taught by men, therefore, behold, I will again do wonderful things with this people, with wonder upon wonder; and the wisdom of their wise men shall perish, and the discernment of their discerning men shall be hidden.'"
• The Bible instructs us to honors our parents. The first time this is mentioned is in the Ten Commandments: "Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land that the LORD your God is giving you" (Exodus 20:12).

from the new testament

• The Bible makes it clear that we are to honor God above all else and give Him the glory due Him forever (1 Timothy 1:17; Revelation 5:13).
• God honors us for honoring Him: "If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him" (John 12:26). As we honor God, He honors us, but He may not honor us in ways that the world would consider to be honor such as status, wealth, and recognition.
• The command to honor one’s father and mother is repeated throughout the Bible and is specifically referenced again in the New Testament by Paul (Ephesians 6:2–3).
• Employers and employees are instructed to show honor in their treatment of each other. Employers are to treat their workers "justly and fairly" (Colossians 4:1). Employees are likewise told: "Bondservants, obey in everything those who are your earthly masters, not by way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord. Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men" (Colossians 3:22–23). Both employers and employees are to treat the other with dignity and respect, honoring one another with honest dealings in work and compensation.
• First Peter 2:17 says: "Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor."
• Romans 12:10 says, “Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor.”
• We are also commanded to honor our church leaders and government officials, by praying for them and respecting the positions that they hold: "I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way" (1 Timothy 2:1–2). Romans 13:1–7 talks of submitting to governing authority and specifically includes paying “honor to whom honor is owed.” First Peter 5:1–5 and Hebrews 13:17 have more specific instructions regarding how church leaders are to care for the flock and how those under their care should respond.
• Church elders and teachers are to receive a double portion of honor: "Let the elders who rule well be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in preaching and teaching" (1 Timothy 5:17).

implications for today

We should honor God in every area of our lives: our actions and words (Colossians 3:17), treatment of others (Proverbs 14:31), physical bodies (Romans 12:1; 1 Corinthians 6:19), money and possessions (Proverbs 3:9), and marriages (Hebrews 13:4). How we honor others is a reflection of how we honor God. Jesus is our example of how to honor others and we are to walk as He did: "By this we may know that we are in him: whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked" (1 John 2:5–6). We are to honor God in all circumstances, even when our earthly "reward" involves persecution: "Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted" (2 Timothy 3:12). Honor is a reward for our righteous living, humility, and faithfulness to God (Proverbs 21:21; 29:23). We can be confident that God sees our honorable living and will reward us for it in His timing: "The reward for humility and fear of the LORD is riches and honor and life" (Proverbs 22:4).