Honor is a concept of life (a value if you will) that we are losing in
today's value-free society. Very few seem to have any idea of honor either in
their daily lives, their relationships or their work. Webster's
Dictionary defines "honor' as: "...official dignity, repute,
esteem - a keen sense of right and wrong - adherence to actions or principles
considered right - integrity - to bring respect .... to show regard..."
In the Old Testament, the Bible uses several different
Hebrew words that are translated "honor." These carry the idea of
magnificence or splendor. In the New Testament, the main Greek word translated
"honor" means "to praise or to revere." It has its
origin in a Greek word meaning "valuable." In fact the Greek
word for "without honor" literally means "no
value."
Honor, used in the sense of how one lives their life
means "BEING TRUE TO WHAT IS RIGHT." Since many today have no
concept of what is right or what is wrong (including many of our country's
leaders unfortunately, both the spiritual and the legislative ones) it should
be of little surprise that people today have no honor. From what is coming out
of our educational institutions it makes one wonder if many of our teachers or
professors have any honor.
In today's society those who would live honorably are
often looked upon as being weirdo's or fanatics.
Honor is a many-sided virtue and includes:
- Self-Discipline--disciplining or
training oneself.
- Responsibility--being accountable to
ourselves and to others.
- Courage--standing our ground in the
face of impossible odds.
- Perseverance--keeping on keeping on
when it would be much easier just to quit.
- Honesty-being genuine, real, in
everything we do.
- Loyalty--being faithful to others.
- Duty - doing what's right whether or
not it's popular and whether or not we win.
- Faith--reaching beyond ourselves and
our own abilities.
Each of these, by the way, is a sermon in itself.
Honor involves being true to our word. This is found
among all races of man. Of the Sioux Indian it has been written by those who
lived with them "..... honesty was an absolute, and lying was sure to
bring the direst consequences. The straight stem of the pipe a man smoked
represented the need to speak straightly .. so that it might never be said of
him that he spoke with two tongues ......" (The Mystic
Warriors of the Plains, pg. 69)
In the early days of the West a person was judged by how
true they were to their word. Many a cattle contract worth thousands of
dollars were concluded simply on a handshake. If a man gave his word he was
expected to keep it.
This concept has its roots in the Judeo-Christian ethic,
though it can be found among many other cultures. Psalm 15 in the Old
Testament describes the solid, unmovable man who will enjoy God's blessing as
one who "...keeps a promise even if it ruins him..." (Ps
15:4, The Living Bible)
To live honorably means to remain true to what is right
in spite of pressure to do otherwise. Even if no one is watching! The life
thus lived is of great value. To die with honor means that we must first live
honorably. To live honorably, and to die honorably. The life so lived counts
for something. It has purpose. It is valuable.
This to me is a mark of a real Shootist. A man of honor.
To a man of honor you can entrust your property, your possessions, your family
or your life and know they are looked after. You would not have to worry about
them.
Live honorably. It will attract those who have a
similar honor and you will stand out from among the ordinary. Who knows
what life you may influence? In the end, if someone says of me, "He
was an honorable man." I will count it as the highest compliment.