At the heart of humanity’s struggle lies the pursuit of honor—a pursuit that sustains the very pride Scripture identifies as central to our sinfulness. In a fallen world, we must recognize that pride is not merely a byproduct of sin but its very engine. Jesus came to reveal the way of the cross, a path designed to strip away humanity’s preoccupation with honor. Repentance, then, is the journey from pride to humility—the releasing of every claim to personal honor.
The Universal Capacity for Good and Evil
It seems axiomatic to state that all human beings possess the capacity to project both good and evil. One of history’s biggest mistakes has been the habit of strictly labeling people according to their accomplishments or actions. Societies form judgments from such limited observations, but this mindset—rooted in the habit of labeling others—leads people to reject God while claiming to know Him. This tendency is, at its core, idolatry.
Because humanity bears God’s image, every person possesses inherent value as profound as the God who made us, yet also carries the potential for destruction as devastating as Satan himself. This dual reality demands our humility. To diminish another person is to diminish God; to exalt another person is to commit idolatry, for God cannot be compared to anything in creation.
Jesus Himself could not be idolized—He appeared as an ordinary man. The Jews, steeped in the Ten Commandments, should have understood that avoiding idolatry meant avoiding the glorification of human beings. Likewise, to despise any fellow human—regardless of background—is to despise the God whose image they bear.
The Foolishness of Familiarity
Foolishness manifests when we fail to grasp that God transcends all earthly comparison. Facing rejection from one’s own people is undeniably painful, yet Jesus identified this as a true sign of alignment with the Lord (Matthew 5:10-12). What the world deems dishonorable often aligns with God’s purposes. Jesus Himself was rejected for this very reason. Turning away from God frequently begins with rejecting someone simply because they do not conform to our personal standards of dignity.
Consider this familiar passage:
“And when Jesus had finished these parables, he went away from there, and coming to his hometown, he taught them in their synagogue, so that they were astonished, and said, ‘Where did this man get this wisdom and these mighty works? Isn’t this the carpenter’s son? Isn’t his mother called Mary? And are not his brothers James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas? And are not all his sisters with us? Where then did this man get all these things?’ And they took offense at him. But Jesus said to them, ‘A prophet is not without honor except in his hometown and in his own household.’ And he did not do many mighty works there, because of their unbelief” (Matthew 13:53-58, ESV).
What caused His neighbors to refuse celebration of one so clearly used to reveal God’s truth? Some might attribute it to jealousy; others might suggest they were attempting to avoid idolizing a fellow human—after all, God cannot be compared to anything earthly. Yet the more likely explanation is simpler and more troubling: most people have either felt invalidated or witnessed someone else invalidated through unfair labeling. We form opinions for or against others based on flawed and incomplete experiences.
When Jesus observed that “a prophet is not without honor except in his hometown,” He highlighted our tendency to judge based on what we know of someone’s background. We form conclusions about familiar people based on what we already see in them, often overlooking their future potential. This was not presented as divine law but as a striking observation about human nature (Matthew 13:58).
The Idolatry of Categorization
The habit of idolizing people stems from categorizing them according to appearance, behavior, and experience rather than recognizing their God-given potential. If God is rejected, it is for this reason alone. People claim to love God and enjoy associating with those perceived as godly, yet humans cannot truly know God, who resembles nothing physical.
The only clue we possess about God’s nature is humanity’s creation in His image. Logically, this suggests that people should be honored for carrying that divine likeness. Yet because of Adam’s sin, all humans now reflect what appears to be the opposite of God’s image. Even Jesus, in His human form, bore what seemed contrary to divine glory.
The Rich Young Ruler: A Case Study in Misplaced Values
“And behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life? And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? There is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments… The young man saith unto him, All these things have I kept from my youth up: what lack I yet? Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me. But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions. Then said Jesus unto his disciples, Verily I say unto you, That a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 19:16-23, KJV).
Jesus’ message consistently steered people away from idolatry, the root of all sin. The rich young ruler failed to recognize that God’s image resides equally in others, including the poor. Unable to accept this truth, he could not embrace Jesus’ call to redistribute his wealth to uplift those he deemed unworthy of bearing God’s likeness. His conception of God’s image derived from personal assumptions rather than God’s true nature, which transcends physical form.
Though he longed for God’s Kingdom, he missed this deeper truth—a point many theologians still overlook. Just as Jesus declined the title “Good Master” (Matthew 19:17), prompting questions about the Trinity, He also declared, “Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father” (John 14:9). Yet what Jesus said was not extraordinary; all humans are meant to reflect God’s image. A genuinely transformed person recognizes that image in others.
Ultimately, Jesus’ words can be spoken by anyone committed to God’s truth: Scripture confirms that all humans bear God’s image (Genesis 1:26-27). Though imperfect as physical beings, we still carry that likeness. And as the light of the world, Jesus came to reveal what it truly means to reflect God’s image (Hebrews 1:3).
Loving Others as Loving God
Born into our sinful nature, Jesus nonetheless declined the title “Good Master” (Matthew 19:17) while guiding the young man toward understanding God’s true image. God’s perfect Law leads those who genuinely seek His Kingdom, demonstrating that we cannot truly love God without first loving others (1 John 4:20).
Sometimes the doctrine of the Trinity can create a false assurance of righteousness. Like the rich young ruler, people may still feel empty despite their theological precision. Authentic worship flows from knowing that God does not rank people, and those He works through—like Jesus—do not seek personal praise. Elevating Jesus to divine status through Trinitarian formulations might seem like honoring Him, but it can inadvertently diminish His true role as our exemplar. The only apparent reason for insisting on Trinitarian hierarchy is to reinforce similar hierarchies among humans—precisely what Jesus sought to abolish.
Jesus set the ultimate example of loving others (1 John 3:16). Avoiding idolatry means recognizing that no goodness resides in us apart from God’s work, even though He uses imperfect people to share His Word. We are called to test every message, regardless of the messenger. As Jesus told Pilate, “Everyone on the side of truth hears my voice” (John 18:37), because God’s voice accompanied Him during His earthly ministry.
Only those aligned with truth could hear His voice. Few stand on the Lord’s side because many violate the First Commandment: “You shall have no other gods before me” (Exodus 20:3). Only those who worship the one true God stand on truth’s side.
The Rejection of the Truth-Bearer
The Pharisees believed they possessed the Law, yet they failed to grasp the simple truth that God cannot be compared to anything physical. One charge against Jesus was that He made Himself equal with God by calling Himself God’s Son:
“But Jesus remained silent. And the high priest said to him, ‘I adjure you by the living God, tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God.’ Jesus said to him, ‘You have said so. But I tell you, from now on you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power and coming on the clouds of heaven.’ Then the high priest tore his robes and said, ‘He has uttered blasphemy. What further witnesses do we need? You have now heard his blasphemy” (Matthew 26:63-65, ESV).
Standing for truth is never easy—you are judged if you remain silent, condemned if you lie, and still judged when you speak boldly. Jesus would have been dishonest to deny His identity as God’s Son. Humanity lost its intimate, childlike connection with the Father in Eden, but that does not change our original identity as His children.
Jesus came to restore that relationship as the only begotten Son of God—a truth as certain as the dawn. The Pharisees possessed Scriptures that should have confirmed this, yet they refused to accept Him as Messiah because He did not match their expectations. Their imagined Messiah violated the First Commandment, and only those who embrace the truth can truly recognize the truth that is found in Jesus.
When lost in darkness, truth appears as falsehood, and falsehood as truth. This confusion typically stems from worshiping other gods instead of the true One. In our fallen state, we cannot fully reflect God’s image, which is not physical. Praising another person resembles worshiping another god, even though that person, too, was made in God’s image.
What we perceive in humanity’s physical form is not necessarily God’s image, yet every person carries an unseen aspect of it. Some assert Jesus was white; others believe He was black—but none of this ultimately matters, for Jesus, as God’s image, cannot be compared to anything physical. This is why Christ declared His Church would be built on truth, not falsehood (Matthew 16:18). God can speak through anyone, but the messenger deserves no praise—just as Jesus accepted none.
Moses was used by God, but he should not have been idolized. The same applies to Samuel, one of God’s greatest prophets. Those who follow truth must recognize God’s voice without elevating the human messenger’s appearance. The messenger’s status becomes irrelevant when keeping the First Commandment, which simplifies discerning falsehood.
The Transcendence of God and the Equality of Humanity
God transcends physical form and likeness yet reveals Himself through principles of goodness and righteousness. When the Israelites demanded a king to emulate other nations, they turned away from God (1 Samuel 8:7). Throughout history, people have idolized others—a tendency reinforced by human systems of categorization.
The trouble with labeling people is its focus on appearances or achievements, missing the reality that all virtue originates with God. This is why Jesus corrected the rich young ruler who attempted flattery with “Good Master!” (Matthew 19:17). Humanity lost God’s goodness through Adam in Eden, but Jesus came to lead us back.
People have long judged others unfairly, ignoring wisdom from those they look down on—just as they did with Jesus (Matthew 13:53-58)—while overlooking the flaws of those they admire. The Israelites didn’t see Samuel’s mistake in appointing his sons as judges without God’s guidance because they held him in such high regard.
God’s word deserves honor, not the messenger, and God can use anyone to convey His truth. All people are equal and called to care for one another. When someone does good, glory belongs to God—even if their character remains imperfect. We should encourage others to persevere in goodness without conferring upon them the honor that belongs to God alone.
If someone acts dishonorably, they should be corrected with grace. There’s no need to be overly harsh toward those who act foolishly. As humans, we all need redemption—this is the true way to honor and worship God. In God’s Kingdom, everyone is equal (Matthew 23:8-12), so that no one should be viewed as inferior or superior to others.
We should correct one another with love, mindful of the potential each person carries as God’s image-bearer. If Jesus declined honor from someone who genuinely believed He deserved it (Matthew 19:16-23), why should we seek it from others? When Scripture instructs us to humble ourselves before the Lord, it addresses everyone—not merely a select few—and Jesus Himself demonstrated this by embracing the cross.
The path of humility, not honor, leads to salvation. When we receive honour from people in this world, Jesus said we shouldn’t expect further honour from God, because we would have already received our reward (Matthew 6:1-4). The cross nullifies our claims to glory so that God’s glory might be fully revealed—not in our exaltation, but in our willingness to decrease that He might increase.
Andrew Masuku is the author of Dimensions of a New Civilisation, laying down standards for uplifting Zimbabwe from the current state of economic depression into a model for other nations worldwide. A decaying tree provides an opportunity for a blossoming sprout. Written from a Christian perspective, the book is a product of inspiration, relieving those who have witnessed the strings of unworkable solutions, leading to the current economic and social decay. Most Zimbabweans should find the book to be a long-awaited providential oasis of hope, in a simple conversational tone.
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