I can’t speak for you, but as the pace of life accelerates I long for simpler times and treasure moments of yesteryear for what they were at face value.

I was blessed to have a mom and a dad who cared about me and who taught me basic values such as saying thank you, addressing my elders with the appropriate Mr. or Mrs. attached to their surname, or by showing respect to one who held a given office in life such as a priest, minister, or a doctor.

The higher the office the greater the level of esteem shown was expected.

To stray from the expected norm meant an encounter with my Dad for corrective action to bring me back in line.

It boiled down to this, it was about giving honor to whom honor was due.

A code of honor is generally a set of rules or ideals related to conducting oneself in a manner that is institutionally, culturally, or individually followed when interacting with others in respective contexts.

In a similar manner, Joe the farmer may have an egg stand at the fringe of his farm where he sells eggs based on the honor system. Joe is not immediately available to take your money, but he has a supply of eggs for sale and you want to buy some. You take your eggs and leave the appropriate amount of money in a can or other receptacle. You thereby acted within the honor system and did not rip off Joe the farmer.

Simple acts like holding a door open for another or a husband taking time to hold his wife’s car door open are day-to-day ways to convey honor.

On a national level standing for the Pledge of Allegiance or singing our National Anthem are ways to communicate honor to live in what has been, is, and will continue to be the greatest country on the planet. We honor the flag and those who have served our country by doing so.

The comments which follow go far beyond partisanship, Republican versus Democrat, and Right versus Left. They are squarely centered on right versus wrong and good versus evil, leaning on biblical truths versus anti-scriptural constructs.

Earlier this past week, President Trump addressed a Joint Session of Congress which was broadcast worldwide. It was his attempt to bring the nation up to speed with what has been going on in the first month or so of his second term. He was elected to do a job and it was incumbent upon him to convey to the nation his initial report card.

Whether you are for President Trump or against him, showing honor for the Office of the President has historically been a part of the fabric of our society while acting in a civil manner, disagreements aside.

To say those comprising the Joint Session of Congress were divided wound be a gross understatement.

As a matter of policy, one can live with the scenario of agreeing to disagree. What took place was utter vitriol against President Trump and fell drastically short on the honor meter not only towards him, but more importantly to others present.

The behavior expressed by those on the left side of the auditorium was appalling with one member of Congress being escorted out of the room for lack of decorum with his petulant outrage. He was subsequently censured by Congress for his outlandish actions and behavior.

For the most part, no one on this side of the room except an isolated few took the time to stand for anything.

No one.

If Honor were a person our collective imagination could have heard him being beckoned, “Honor – come out, come out wherever you are.”

Again, it is one thing to protest by actions (or lack thereof) against matters of policy on which one disagrees.

It’s an entirely different story when those who need lifted up the most are dishonored in a most shameful manner.

In the audience were multiple invited guests of the President. Without naming names except one, each had a heart wrenching story acknowledged by the President and they were asked to stand for a moment in which those in attendance had the opportunity to show them honor by letting them know America sees you and stands with you.

Those on the Democratic side of the chamber (and if the roles were reversed I would say the same thing) could not bring themselves to stand to honor a mother who lost a daughter who was murdered, a journalist freed from captivity, or a fire-fighter who lost his life while protecting his family from stray bullets during the failed Butler, Pennsylvania assassination attempt on then candidate Trump’s life.

The moment of the night which best epitomizes what I am trying to convey about honor is the story of D.J. Daniel, a 13 year old cancer patient who is attempting to live out his dream of being named as a law enforcement officer in all 50 states.

President Trump bestowed on D.J. the honor of being named a special agent in the Secret Service. A summary of his story can be seen here.

The Democratic response was simply heartless and showed no regard for his situation nor for the scarred lives of the other invited honorees.

Since we are in it together as a nation, we should be ashamed of our collective behavior. We can do much, much better than this.

Can our Code of Honor be redeemed?

It needs a drastic overhauling and we need it now.

Proverbs provides these reminders and answers.

“Haughtiness goes before destruction; humility precedes honor.” (Proverbs 18:12 NLT)

“Pride end in humiliation; while humility brings honor.” (Proverbs 29:23 NLT)

“The wise inherit honor; but fools are put to shame.” (Proverbs 3:35 NLT)

A step in the right direction would be to once again yield to God.

Another step would be to accept our fellow man even if we disagree with him.

For those invited guests who were dishonored during the President’s address, please forgive us for our collective actions.

God knows you. He sees you. And He loves you. You are not alone.

To call those out who were less than civil and refer to their behavior as childish does a disservice to children who know better.

Perhaps a starting place might be to acknowledge your actions, ask forgiveness of a nation, and admit to the fact that it is time to grow up for the sake of the greater good.

As for you and I, let’s accept the invitation to intentionally show honor to someone in our circle of influence.

Little ripples can begin to make a difference.

We need to invite honor back to the table and in such a manner where it starts with each of us.