10 Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor.
10 Love one another with brotherly affection.
The Greek word for “love” in this verse is different from that of the previous verse. The word here is reciprocal love of natural affection, fraternal and familial love. Christians are to love members of the family of God like they would their own physical families.
Outdo one another [of the same kind] in showing honor.
This sentence is an explanation of the first sentence. Believers are to give respect to other Christians rather than seeking to put themselves first. Our natural tendency is to seek glory for ourselves.
“Honor” is value, deference, or respect. To “outdo” is literally to go before, to lead. Christians are to be leaders when it comes to respecting or showing deference to one another. This is not flattery but genuine recognition of the value of fellow believers.
PRINCIPLE:
Honor is due from each believer to all Christians.
APPLICATION:
Christians should give due recognition to others in the family of God. We should keep this in the forefront of our thinking because our natural tendency is to think of ourselves first and foremost. Our personal status in the Christian community should not be our primary concern.
Many Christians are jealous of other believers. They resent the praise or recognition that the church gives others. Churches have been ruined by this attitude. Instead of outdoing others to gain the ascendancy, we should outdo one another in honoring fellow believers.
Php 2:3-4, 3 Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. 4 Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.
