GUEST AUTHOR: MARGARET IRVIN
Sunday after Sunday we repeat the phrase “Honor all people” in the congregational charge. What does it mean to honor someone, indeed everyone? Can you honor without caring? Without paying attention? Without noticing needs? Without valuing the other person as much as yourself rather than dividing human beings into worthy and unworthy (or less worthy – maybe just a touch less)? Without Love?
What happens when you go “out into the world” imbued with a mandate to honor others, not only as a command but as something in your bones, in your instincts so that if you break faith your inner alarm goes off?
Honoring creates atmosphere, an important and fundamental prerequisite to fostering a person’s unique voice. “Voice” is what that individual has to say from his/her life experience and heart. Voice is an expression of who he or she is; and the person, as well as everyone else, benefits from what is said.
The biblical charge is to love God and our neighbor. Who is not our neighbor? Honoring is showing love by affirming our neighbor’s humanity which was conferred by our Creator. Let me illustrate the effect of this practice in a writing group where our lived stories and unique voices are shared.
“Opal” entered our senior center class one day, hesitantly reading a written tribute to her immigrant mother. Before long, bits and pieces of her own early experiences in Chinatown began to emerge. We were riveted. After fifteen years, Opal has been writing every week about trips, thoughts, memories, friends – whatever comes up. Usually, she writes before leaving the class.Confident now, she has even submitted several of her writings to a senior anthology, and has presented her work in a senior center arts program.
Opal might be any one of us, young or old and in any sort of interpersonal or group interaction. After all, what is more important in life – to receive special honors or to have honored all those who have passed our way?
~ Margaret Irvin