“HONOR YOUR FATHER AND MOTHER“—which is the first commandment WITH A PROMISE—” (Eph. 6:2) What is that promise? “Honor your father and mother, that YOU MAY HAVE A LONG, GOOD LIFE in the land the Lord your God will give you.” (Exo. 20:12) How important is this? “Honor your father and mother” is mentioned twice in the Old Testament (Exod. 20:12; Deut. 5:16) and six times in the New Testament (Matt. 15:4; 19:19; Mark 7:10; 10:19; Luke 18:20; Eph. 6:2).
Just as we are to honor the One who created us, so we are to honor those who were chosen to carry out God’s plan for our creation- OUR FATHERS AND MOTHERS!” In a world riddled with broken marriages and pieced together families, it is MORE IMPORTANT THAN EVER to stop pointing fingers and start embracing God’s command to honor each other. Many of us are fathers and mothers, either by blood or adoption. If we are caring for someone, or they us, we are COMMANDED BY GOD to honor them. If we fail to HONOR and RESPECT our parents we are BREAKING GOD’S COMMANDMENT.
It’s impossible for any of us to be exempt from this command. Even those of us who have not known our maternal mothers and fathers have caregivers who have adopted us into their lives. We honor them. We all look to those who have gone before us and done the best they knew to do. Believers or not, our obedience to honor our parents is PART OF GOD’S ETERNAL PLAN. “Listen to your father who begot you, And do not despise your mother… Let your father and your mother be glad, And let her who bore you rejoice.” (Prov. 23:22-25)
- Appreciate them.You can show your appreciation by valuing their guidance. (Prov. 7:1, 2; 23:26)
- Accept their authority. “Be obedient to your parents IN EVERYTHING, for this is well-pleasing to the Lord.” (Col. 3:20)
- Treat them with respect. This often involves what you say and how you say it. The Bible teaches that speaking abusively of one’s father or mother is a SERIOUS OFFENSE. “God says, ‘Honor your father and mother,’ and ‘Anyone who speaks disrespectfully of father or mother must be put to death.’” (Matt. 15:4).
- Provide for them. When your parents get old, they may need practical support. You can honor them by trying your best to make sure that they have what they need. “…if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.” (1 Tim. 5:8)
God is very specific about His directions concerning honoring our parents and about us obeying so we may have A LONG, GOOD LIFE!!!
-Bill Stockham