DISRESPECT

Then the people cheered in response, "This is the voice of a god and not a human voice!" Instantly he was slapped by the angel of the Lord (Acts 12:22,23) 

King Herod, wearing royal clothes, made a speech before the people because he wanted them to take his side. He likes to hear the praise of his people. "[It's] the voice of a god and not a human voice!" cheer his people (Acts 12:22). Fear and respect for the one true God should have made Herod deny the flattery, but he did not. Because he was not ready to "respect God", Herod was immediately slapped by God's angel. He suffered a horrible death because he had disrespected God. 

On the other hand, Paul and Barnabas respected God so much that they panicked when people worshiped them (Acts 14:14,15). When the crowd saw the Apostle Paul miraculously healing a man who had been paralyzed since birth, they exclaimed, "The gods have come down to us in human form!" Then, they prepare themselves for 

offering sacrifices to Paul and Barnabas (verses 11-13). When they heard that, the two of them "tore their clothes, and burst into the middle of the crowd, shouting, 'Hey, all of you, why are you doing this?'" (verse 14,15). 

From these two contrasting Bible stories, we find a solemn call to honor God in a world that does not honor Him. He is the only one we should glorify, we praise, and we respect. He is the only one we should worship --HVL

NOT TO US, O LORD, NOT TO US
BUT TO YOUR NAME-GIVE GLORY -- PSALM 115:1 

*) Take from Daily Reflections