One of my closest friends in professional baseball is longtime Major League scout Kirk Fredrickkson with the Boston Red Sox. Kirk has signed many MLB players in his scouting career and was recently selected by his peers as the “2025 Georgia Scouts Association Scout of the Year.”
For me, I genuinely delight in getting to honor and recognize my friend Kirk — not only as a tremendous scout, but as a humble man who models the character and conduct of Christ in his life. It brings me great joy to honor my friend and competitor.
In a world obsessed with self, self-promotion, self-importance, and self-achievement, it’s easy to forget the quiet beauty of honoring others. We live in a culture that rewards those who climb higher, self-promote, speak louder, and shine brighter. However, the kingdom of God flips that on its head. Instead of exalting ourselves, we are called to “delight” in honoring others.
So what is “honor”?
To honor someone means to see them the way God sees them, to recognize their worth, their divine design, and their place in God’s story. It’s not flattery, selfish motives, or empty praise. True honor flows from humility. It is the willingness to celebrate the victories and successes of others as if they were our own, to listen before we speak, to serve before we seek recognition, and to give dignity where the world offers jealousy and disregard.
When Paul tells us to “take delight in honoring each other,” he is inviting us into joy. There is something life-giving about honoring others — not out of duty, but out of genuine delight. Imagine what would happen in our world if believers became known as people who delight in honoring others: coworkers, spouses, children, strangers, even those who oppose us. The light of Christ would break through the evil in our culture.
Listen closely: In a world consumed with self-promotion and personal gain, God calls us to a higher calling, to “delight” in honoring others. It is more than polite words; it is the posture of your heart that celebrates others, lifts them up, and reflects the servant heart of Jesus. When you choose to honor those around you, not out of duty but with joy, you push back against a self-centered culture and make God’s love visible for all to see.
Delight in honoring someone today.
Love God. Love people. Live sent.
