9-11 Because of that obedience, God lifted him high and honored him far beyond anyone or anything, ever, so that all created beings in heaven and on earth—even those long ago dead and buried—will bow in worship before this Jesus Christ, and call out in praise that he is the Master of all, to the glorious honor of God the Father. (Philippians 2:9-11 – The Message)
We may honor a person for his/her achievement, generosity, wisdom and sacrifice. But do we normally honor a person for his/her obedience? Would you say obedience is a virtue that everyone should have? In our society, we do not value obedience (unless you are parents). Instead, we promote critical/radical thinking. We promote individualism and self-help. We question about law and order. We find it hard to obey parents, teachers, managers… Who are you? Why should I listen to you? We obey only because we do not want to take the consequences (go to jail, being fired, consistent nagging, etc.) If there is no consequence, the chance is we would not obey (or at least not to the same extent). Obedience is a hard lesson to learn. Even if the one that we should obey is God, it is hard. Sometimes, it can be even harder, because we can so easily diluting the consequences as we know God loves us and forgives us. We should learn to obey not out of consequences, but out of respect. We obey God not because we are afraid of the punishment/judgment. We obey God because we respect God as the creator. We respect his sovereignty and authority. And this is the kind of obedience that God honours.
“Because of that obedience, God lifted him high and honored him far beyond anyone or anything …”
