We often think "honor" is something you earn through a high moral score, the right family tree, or a clean reputation. But the Bible consistently flips that script.
Take the Roman Centurion in Matthew 8. To understand why this story was so shocking to the original audience, you have to look at who this man was:
🔹 The Political Enemy: As a Roman Centurion, he was an officer of the occupying army. To the Jewish people, he represented the iron fist of Rome—the "bad guy" by every political and social standard of the day.
🔹 The Spiritual Outsider: He was a Gentile. In that era, religious leaders wouldn't even enter a Gentile’s house because it would make them "ritually unclean." He was a man with zero spiritual standing in the community.
🔹 The Power Dynamic: Centurions were men of immense worldly power. They were used to giving orders and having them followed instantly.
The Turning Point:
When this man’s servant fell ill, he didn’t use his Roman rank to demand a favor. Instead, he approached Jesus with total humility, saying: “Lord, I am not worthy that You should come under my roof. But only speak a word, and my servant will be healed.”
The Result:
Jesus didn't just heal the servant; He did something far more disruptive. He turned to the crowd and said, “I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel!” (Matthew 8:10).
The Takeaway:
Think about the weight of that statement. Jesus—the King—elevated a "pagan" enemy soldier above the religious elite of His own nation.
It forces us to ask a hard question: If God elevates faith and humility over status and reputation so decisively, how are we measuring honor today? Who are the "outsiders" we assume are ineligible for God's favor, while they might actually be the ones showing the greatest trust?
Honor isn't where you come from or what the "moral scoreboard" says. Honor is assigned by allegiance and trust.
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