Wait And Honor One Another

I have several friends that when we are walking together they walk ahead of me. I have never really understood this. I know I do not walk as fast as they do but will you not wait and walk with me. I sometimes think God is asking this same question. Will you not walk with me?

When we wait for one another, God is asking us to be patient, to relinquish our own pace, agenda, strengths, and to yield to others. According to the author of this study, Don McMinn, in the struggle to wait for one another, we may become impatient when faced with irritations or opposition. What do you do when someone is wasting your time? In Ephesians 4:3 we are to Be Patient. 

As a friend, we can wait for one another emotionally. We can wait for one another mentally and spiritually. Have you helped someone who is hurting emotionally? We may need to wait for others when the person is fearful. My mother was afraid of escalators and so I would wait until she was ready to step. Mentally, we wait because a person may take a long time to get to the point of the conversation. Sometimes a person talks in circles. My husband is very logical. Spiritually, we have all been given a measure of faith. When I went to Israel in 1995, I met a woman who prayed for ,leverything, her name was Pam. On our way home we had a night in Brussels. We had walked all over Brussels and were walking home at 1:30 in the morning. We were probably two miles from our hotel and Pam said, “Lord please send us a ride home.” We walked a few more blocks and a paddy wagon stopped, after questioning us the paddy wagon drove about a half of a block and stopped. The police officers asked if we would like a ride home. Of course, we said yes.

Wait for one another is balanced by honor one another. How do you honor another person? In order to honor, we need to recognize unique strengths, talents, and gifts.

Waiting for others can help us to focus on more important issues. Waiting for others free people to be comfortable with who they are. Waiting is a practical way to show our love for others.

Ways to honor one another. Listen to the other person. 1 Peter 2:17 “Show proper respect to everyone.” Respect others opinions such as the things that they feel strongly, respect privacy, time, and property. Recognize the other person’s gifts, abilities, or talents. God gives us our gifts, that are unique to each of us, just God as He gave us each fingerprint.

Friendships are a gift from God. Whether we wait for one another, honor one another or prefer one another, God needs to be in the center of the relationship. Pride and jealousy will hinder friendships. Romans 12:3 says to not think more highly than you should, pride has no place in a friendship. Jealousy will break a friendship up. Instead in Romans 12: 9-10 Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. 

Beloved, we are friends of God. 

Father God, I pray that we wait on you first. That we never run ahead of you. That we honor you above ourselves. Thank you for the gift of friendship. Thank you that you gave each of us gifts and we complement one another.

So even though I walk slower than my friends, I walk with Jesus seeking him above all. Will you join me in a just a closer walk with Jesus?

Beloved a closer walk involves a person to love, prefer, accept, greet, encourage, comfort, carry burdens, forgive, pray, wait and honor one another.