READ: Acts 28:1-10
“…but after they had looked a great while, and saw no harm come to him, they changed their minds, and said that he was a god” – Acts 28:6
To dishonour someone is to accuse, to blame, to denounce, to reproach, to disgrace, to humiliate, to disrespect and to condemn someone. The apostle Paul was initially denounced, disrespected and condemned as a murderer on the island of Malta.
Initially, the people thought that Paul was a murderer. They suspected he was a very evil man with a terrible history of gruesome murders in his background. Such evil thoughts about a person will not make you honour him. Such thoughts are dishonourable. It is because people have negative thoughts about you that the power of God does not work. Negative thoughts are a clear sign of the absence of honour.
However, when Paul did not die from the snakebite, they changed their minds. They thought highly of him. They even thought that he could be a god. Now, when Paul laid hands on Publius’ father, a miracle occurred and Publius’ father was healed. Many sick people on the island were brought to Paul and were also healed. Then, the good thoughts about Paul abounded. Many people saw him as a good person. They thought of Paul as a man sent from God! They did not question his background any more. From then on, the people of Malta honoured Paul. Up till today, in the twentyfirst century, Apostle Paul is honoured on the island of Malta.
Perhaps, the members of your church do not honour you and that is why your ministry does not flourish. Members of a church need to honour their pastor so that the power of God on his life will be activated. “Honour” has a lot to do with the way you think about a person.