This is the second post in our “Honor and Shame” series. In the previous post, we acknowledged that the church is feeling some of our honor being stripped away. In order to navigate this moment well, we need to acknowledge where honor comes from in the first place, why losing honor can actually be a good thing, and how to receive honor from God.
Glory, Honor, and Loyalty
The ideas of glory, honor, and loyalty are closely related. Glory refers to someone’s elevated social status, specifically a royal status. It is often spoken of as something that can be seen (a radiance or a weight). For instance, a crown or a scepter are symbols of glory. A ruler’s glory is something in which his loyal subjects can be said to bask, like a light that emanates from him.
When a king’s subjects prove their loyalty, the king gives them honor. Picture the way a king honors military leaders and warriors, who return successfully from battle, with various decorations. Soldiers…
