Whose Honour Are You After?

And Balak said unto Balaam, Did I not earnestly send unto thee to call thee? wherefore camest thou not unto me? am I not able indeed to promote thee to honour? Numbers 22:37 KJV

There’s something Balak claims he has ability to do to Balaam, that’s honour. Honour is treating someone with high respect , admiration and esteem. If someone is honoured, they are given respects which carry great regards throughout the realm in which the honour is bestowed. Honour may be ascribed by birth as in firstborns or by achievements in life. Britannica says, ” The word is also commonly used to describe the dignities, distinctions, or titles granted as a mark of such esteem or as a reward for services or merit, and quite generally of the credit or renown conferred by a person or thing on the country, town, or particular society.” The more we peruse these descriptions, the more difficult it is to accept Balak’s premise that he could promote Balaam to honour. Who gives honour? Is it God or men? J. T. Mawson answers these questions in the following words: ” God bestows high honour upon men. There are people in this world who have received from Him “the adoption of sons” (Gal. 4:5), and they can rejoice in those moving words, “Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed upon us that we should be called the sons of God” (1 John 3:1). And nobody will question the fact that the honour that God bestows must be greater than any that the greatest of Kings can give, for Gods gifts are forever.” Now pause and read that again. Are you after Gods honour? Or are you after what the Kings of this earth will offer you? That’s the dividing line. Where do you stand? That will determine what motivates you.