On what basis do we receive respect or honor from the Lord? He looks at whether we carry out His will (Gen 4:7, BB). Does the way we live reflect His holiness (Ps 149:9, NAB note)? Are we Christ-like in our character (EDBW, p 342)? Are we committed to Him above all others and everything else? If we honor Him, He will honor us (1 Sam 2:30). When we live by the Lord’s wise guidance, He will honor us (Ps 72:24, BB). The Lord protects and honors those who love and treasure Him (Ps 91:14, BB). Being faithful to God are ways of honoring Him. For the Christian, one result is that God raises us to a place of great honor in the spiritual world (Eph 2:6, TNT). Yet, most importantly, when we belong to Him, He is our God. Thus, He is our honor (Ps 149:4, ASV alt).
Are there ever times when we should refuse to accept honor from others? Yes. We should not accept unearned honors (Mt 23:8, JNTC note). Ananias and Sapphira are an example of those who wanted undeserved honor (Acts 5:1-11, NAB, note). This was such a serious matter to the Lord that He took their lives for lying in their attempt to get this unearned honor. Furthermore, while there will be times the Lord will honor us (and we should then graciously, humbly, thankfully accept it), we are not to insist on being honored for having done what He asked us to do (Lk 17:10).
Let’s be concerned with the Lord’s honor, not our own (Mt 6:9). May we be seeking His kingdom, rather than our own (Mt 6:10). Let us focus on His will, not our own (Mt 6:10). These are some key ways we show Him the respect and honor that is due Him.
Instead of being timid, learn to be appropriately bold.