Do you know the secret to loving, lasting relationships? The answer is HONOR.

Honor is, first and foremost, a decision. It is the simple decision to place high value, worth, and importance on another person, to view him or her as a priceless gift and grant that person a position in your life worthy of great respect. In other words, honor is a gift we give to others. It isn't purchased by their actions or contingent on our emotions. You're giving them distinction whether or not they like it, want it, or deserve it. You will soon see honoring your mate gives legs to the words "I love you."

Honor is not only the first step of love, it's also the single most important principle for building an intimate relationship. The literal definition of honor is "To give preference to someone by attaching high value to them." When you confer honor you're thinking, "I'm married to an extremely valuable Person. I'm making the decision to consider him or her even more important than I consider myself to be." Honor is the goal, the prize, the hope that you bestow upon your mate. I've found that honor can be a reminder; it makes me want to repair any damage I cause in my relationship, simply because I honor my mate.

© Copyright 2005 Smalley Relationship Center

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