This Is an Honorable Woman

The Bible says that we are to give honor to whom honor is due (Romans 13:7). That verse sits within a context of honoring those governing authorities that God has sovereignly appointed over us.  But, they are not the only ones we are to show honor to. We are to honor our parents (Ephesians 6:2), honor God (I Timothy 1:17), honor those who labor in preaching and teaching (I Timothy 5:17), honor our employers (Ephesians 6:5-9) and honor everyone else (I Peter 2:17).

Honor, in Scripture, is for showing esteem to those men and women who are respectable. We honor those who are honorable – who are worthy of being “called out” and put on display for others to also esteem.

Today, I honor someone in my life that is not hard to honor. I honor the one whom I married 20 years ago, today.

I met Andrea about a year before we got married. We met in 2000.

When I first saw her, it was not love at first sight, but she certainly got my attention, because she was wearing an OU Sooners sweatshirt. And we were both living in Southern CA at the time. To see “crimson and cream” in Bruin and Trojan country was a rarity. I certainly had no idea that on the day that we met that I just met the most honorable wife a man could have.

As we got to know each other over that year we dated and were engaged, my affection, attraction, and admiration for her grew. And even on our wedding day, when my love for her was as intense as it ever had been, I had no idea that she would even become more honorable that she was on that day.

When we entered full time ministry as partners, I watched her disciple young women and encourage me as often as she could. I could not have imagined or picked a more helpful pastor’s wife. And I still had no idea the level of honor that she would one day earn.

My mind was totally blown when I started to witness her natural instincts for mothering. As God brought Jackson, Josiah and Ethan along, her level of honor grew exponentially as her level of sacrifice deepened. Annie gave, and still gives, countless hours serving the 4 of us boys in our home.  

As I reflect on being married to Annie for 20 years, I cannot help but think, “How did this happen to me?”

Outside of salvation, I can’t think of a bigger surprise and instrument of God’s grace than her. I will not ever deserve to be married to someone as honorable as she. She far exceeds me in wisdom, maturity, grace, and Christlikeness. And I get to call her “wife.” Actually, I call her “wifey” sometimes.

Happy Anniversary, Andrea K. Heck! It’s been 20 years!