Whatever is Honorable

Within this series on Apostle Paul’s list of favorite things to think about instead of wallowing in your anxious thoughts, I’m including explorations of different words from a handful of different translations, when different English words are used.

And here we are, with Paul’s Fave Thing #2, already giving us 2 different words to consider among 4 Bible translations:

In the previous article, we looked at the word “noble” – used in the NIV and NKJV – and we saw how the word “noble” can show us God’s character as “complete,” “unchanging,” and “reliable.”

Now, let’s look at the word that is used in the ESV and NLT: “honorable.”

“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.” Philippians 4:8 (ESV) (bold mine)

Does this word show us a few more facets of God’s character?

What I used to think of when I heard the word “honorable”

If you’ve been an adult American citizen for at least a handful of years, you’ve probably received the dreaded jury duty summons in the mail at least once. Maybe you’ve even served on a jury. I served once. Talk about dreaded. When my number was called to go sit in the next seat in the jury box, and I was assigned Number 10, my heart dropped faster than a stone in a shallow pond.

After the alternates were chosen and the lucky ones dismissed, all eyes and ears turned to the judge; here I’ll call him “The Honorable Robert A.”

Now, this was already Day 2 for this group, and I, for one, was already feeling rather laden with resentment at having to sit through what seemed to amount to a purse-snatching. On top of that, the attorney for the defendant was really, really, really dull.

The Honorable Robert A. began his “official” explanation of our responsibilities, and I had to fight to not sigh too heavily or slouch too miserably. I mean, this judge looked like the stereotypical judge: white-haired, stern, boring, and maybe even actually bored himself. So, this was going to be such a dreary recitation of high-and-mighty, fancy-schmancy, hoighty-toighty, “honorable” mumbo-jumbo, right?

Wrong.

What changed

Sure, the Honorable Robert A. had to give us the rules. But his explanation of the rules was the most uplifting, inspiring pep talk I’ve ever heard outside of a locker room or dance studio.

He talked about our responsibility as having both “weight” and “lightness.” He said we’d have to search through “murkiness” to get to “the heaviness of honor.”

Wow. I had never thought of honor as being heavy. I had always thought of honor as being lofty, like an eagle. That mindset shift changed my entire approach to and experience of the next couple of days of service. To the point that I actually was voted to be deputy foreperson of our jury (we were instructed to choose our foreperson and deputy foreperson). Really? Me???

By the time the Honorable Robert A. struck his gavel for the final time, I felt so proud to have bourne such heaviness (turns out, the case was about more than “just” a purse-snatching). The weight of it made me feel light and filled with honor indeed.

When hindsight is 20/20

At that time, I was not a believer. So all of these words, while super inspiring, were completely secular to me.

But now, as a believer, these words have different meanings. Meanings according to THE Word.

According to biblestudytools.com, the word “honorable,” when translated from the Hebrew “kabhedh” in the Old Testament, means “to be heavy,” and “weighty.” Well, how about that. And when translated from the Greek “timios” in the New Testament, it means “weighty.” Huh.

Reflective Response: Fleshing out God’s character to release anxious thoughts

So, how can we pull this all together to “think about these things” – and release anxious thoughts, as Paul says we can?

Looking at the meanings of the 2 translations of the 2nd word on Paul’s list, we’ve got:

Noble

• Complete
• Unchanging
• Reliable

Honorable

• Heavy
• Weighty

Take a few moments – sequester yourself, if you will, like a jury member – and simply think about these words. And ask the Holy Spirit for insight into how any or all of these words can replace any anxious words for you today.