Honor is one of those words that many use but few try to define. You see it carved on public buildings or on local war memorials. You can read about it in books and hear it used in everything from speeches to combat bravery. It includes reverence for truth (honesty), commitment to justice (fairness), and respect for the property of others. Honor means demonstrating an understanding of what is right and always living so your reputation is above reproach.
Honesty and integrity form the foundation of honor. Being honest means being truthful and upright all the time, despite pressure to do otherwise. Soldiers are honest with themselves by being committed to living all the Army values consistently and honest with others by not presenting themselves or their actions as something other than what they are. In the military, leaders rely on the sanctity of a soldier’s word of honor. He should say what he means adn do what he says. If a mission cannot be accomplished, he should inform the chain of command. If inadvertently bad information is passed, he should correct it as soon as he finds out it is wrong. This forthrightness is essential for creating a bond of trust among soldiers and between America’s Army and the nation it serves.
A person of honor has the strength of will to live up to a set of values, even when the temptation to do otherwise is strong, even in the face of personal danger. The military’s highest award is the Medal of Honor. Its recipients did not do only what was required or expected of them. They went above and beyond the call of duty. They went as far as humanly possible. It is fitting that the word we use to describe their achievement is honor.
As believers, we know God is all-knowing, and we cannot hide anything from Him. We may be able to fool others, but we cannot fool God. Honor is a value that God holds high. God is true to His Word. He can and will not doing anything contrary to it. It is not in His nature to contradict Himself. How would the world be if God changed His mind as much as we change ours? The world would be in chaos. We should be people of our word. Jesus said our yes should be yes and our no should be no. The world needs something honorable in which to believe. As Christians, we need to be examples of God’s unwavering honor and tell of the promises given to those who believe in Him.
