Fame, Honor, and Praise - and Haiti

"...I intended for them to be my special people and to bring me fame, honor, and praise...." (Jer. 13:11b, NET)

For a couple of weeks now, it's been on my heart to blog about this verse. Its words ring in my ears and challenge my heart. Yet the morning I read it, the news began to unfold out of Haiti that the earthquake the night before had been more than powerful and severe - it had been devastating. Like many of you, I've spent the last 11 days with one word hovering over all my interactions, thoughts, and prayers: Haiti. I didn't take time to blog, partly because my computer was being updated (a special gift from my dear husband) but partly because my mind was 200 miles off the coast of the US with a people I've never met.

Over the past couple of days I felt the familiar tug growing stronger. I knew I needed to write - had to write - and intended to write two blogs ... the original one about the Jeremiah verse and a second one about Haiti. However, as I prayed and carved out the time to write God does what He is so good at doing in my life: He interrupted my intentions with a lesson:

God's fame, honor, and praise are not threatened by the situation in Haiti. He is being glorified and will be glorified through this undeniably hard-to-explain disaster. The question for each of us - and each believer in Haiti - is whether we will respond as His "special people" should and be a part of bringing Him the fame, honor, and praise that He deserves as much today as on Jan. 11.

I don't claim to be the most mature or experienced Christian on the block. But I have lived enough to know that God is not glorified apart from the circumstances of our lives. God's glory isn't an abstract concept. It's what happens when our theology meets our reality. The Greek for "glory" comes from a word referring to an accurate weight or measure. It's an accurate reflection of what we know something to be. When we glorify God, we reflect who He is in our lives. We reflect the image of Christ in the "stuff" of life.

Sometimes that "stuff" can be pretty challenging. Sometimes it can be downright hard. And occasionally, as in Haiti, it can be humanly impossible. Ah, that qualifier is so important. Humanly. For all things are possible with God.

What's the difference between fame, honor, and praise, and how have we seen each these past 11 days?  

•  "Fame" refers to God's reputation, His "name". When we make God famous, we are glorifying who He says He is to others. "Fame" can't happen when we are in isolation. To make God famous, someone has to see Him at work in our lives. This is what God said would happen as Israel obeyed His commands - people would say "what other nation has a god so near to them like the LORD" (see Deuteronomy 4:1-8). How has God been made famous in Haiti? I have seen so many news reports referencing how resilient the people are as they rely on God, how they are happy to have escaped with their Bibles, how their faith is their bulwark these days. God is all over the place on CNN and other networks, and I'll bet that wasn't on their agenda a month ago. 

• "Honor" is adoration and praise related to God's deeds and attributes. To honor someone means to give them a preferred place. For example, a man will often honor a woman by holding a door open for her, giving her the preferred place of walking through the doorway first. In many cultures elders are honored by being provided the best room in the house, the best seat at the table, and the best piece of meat. When we honor God, we use our praise to give Him a preferred place in our lives. Honor can happen one-on-one with Him, as we quietly whisper "Oh God, I wouldn't have made it through that meeting without You". It can also take place when we deflect praise given to us heavenward. Corrie Ten Boom used to lift any flowers she received at a speaking engagement toward the ceiling, honoring the One whose message she proclaimed. How has God been honored in Haiti? Survivor after survivor has said, "God rescued me" or "It doesn't matter, I still have God." He is being given the preferred place of preeminance based on His deeds and attributes.
  

• "Praise" refers to "beauty, splendor, glory, excellence." It's what happens when God shines through. Like fame, praise can't take place in isolation. Someone has to see Him shining for praise to occur. Certainly we as individuals can praise God, but the context of this passage refers to God's people's obedience bringing Him praise from those who watch. Deuteronomy 4 makes it clear that God had the onlookers in mind - He wanted the nations to worship Him as well as Israel. When you see someone handle a situation with such grace and beauty that you can say, "I see Jesus in you", then He is being praised in the sense intended by this passage. How has God been praised in Haiti? One of the best examples I have seen is the impromptu establishment of interdenominational, open-air churches. Pastors, church members, and others report that unity has come through this - a beautiful unity they had prayed for but had been unable to achieve. Today's National Day of Repentance brought many of these mini-churches together for a larger-scale worship and prayer service. That's beautiful - and that's God. 

No, God's fame, honor, and praise are not challenged in the least by Haiti. Instead that tragedy is simply a path over which His people walk to glorify Him even more. I'm not wasting any energy trying to figure out "why". Sometimes things happen just because we live in a fallen world. I'll let God assign cause. I'm just going to enjoy watching Him receive all the fame, honor, and praise. And I'll look away from Haiti to my own life, and focus on the fame, honor, and praise He wants to bring from my life - whatever the circumstances.