Honoring Your Parents Part 1

Most of you are aware of God’s commandments. They were spoken by God to Moses, who delivered them to God’s people. They weren’t God’s Ten Suggestions. No, they were God’s Ten Commandments, and one of those commandments states this:

“Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving to you.” (Exodus 20:12)

If we desire to honor God and become ones after His own heart, then we must be one’s that follow His commandments and do everything He calls us to do. So dear hearts, you and I are going to honor our fathers and mothers as long as they are alive. It’s one of God’s forever commandments!

Maybe you’re wondering, “What then does it mean to honor my parents?”

Elizabeth George explains it this way, “What does it mean to ‘honor’ parents? Partly, ‘honoring’ means speaking well of them and politely to them. It also means acting in a way that shows them courtesy and respect (but we are not to follow them in acts of disobedience to God). Parents have a special place in God’s sight. Even those who find it difficult to get along with their parents are still commanded to honor them.”

Therefore, to honor your parents as the first commandment states, you also need to obey your parents. It may not always be easy, but such obedience calls for us to have humble hearts...”You, who are younger, be subject to the elders. Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for ‘God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” (1 Peter 5:5)

Not only are children commanded to obey their parents, but there are also commands in the Bible for parents as it pertains to their relationship with their children, for example:

-Parents are commanded by God to teach their children (Deuteronomy 6:7)
-Parents are commanded by God to train their children (Ephesians 6:4)
-Parents are commanded by God to discipline and correct their children (Hebrews 12:7)

When parents discipline it proves their love. When I was younger there were many occasions (in my own sin) I didn’t feel much love, but the Bible says, when a child is left to himself, that child is not loved and will ultimately become heartache to his or her parents.

Check back tomorrow for more on honoring our parents.