Honor Thy Father and Mother
We know it as the Fifth Commandment, the first of the last six that promote peace within society as a whole. Disobeying parents (in the Lord) is the same as disobeying the Lord. The Apostle Paul reiterates this command in Ephesians 6:1 — “Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.” Mike Mazzalongo reminds us that “parents deserve obedience because in most cases (good) parents will or have done more for (us) than any teacher, mentor or friend. Again, in most cases even poor parents have done more for us than we will ever be able to repay in our lifetimes.” He’s right, “We should obey parents from a sense of gratitude if from nothing else.” Children learn best from parents who lead by example. The experiences and influences of childhood can be long lasting and often determine the road a child will take as he or she grows up. We learned to allow God to run our lives from godly parents who taught us to surrender to Jesus and do whatever He asked of us.
M. Wayne Ichenhower, in “That Your Days May Be Long,” suggests that the prolonging of life (promised in this commandment) has both a physical and a spiritual dimension: Physically, parents keep their children out of harm’s way, letting them know when what they are doing is unwise or unsafe. Your life will be extended simply by heeding their instruction and avoiding the hazards life brings. Spiritually, obeying your parents pleases God and He will in turn grant you life—even after you are grown and can keep yourself from danger.
I am especially grateful for the spiritual guidance my parents gave us as we grew up. They brought me and my siblings up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord. They showed us by their words and actions how to please God and save our souls. Priceless! I write about this in the opening chapters of Dancing with the Impossible. We’ve tried to live our lives in such a way that who we are and what we did brought honor to our parents, not disgrace and shame. Some of you may struggle to “love your parents because of what they may have done or not done, but it is necessary that we honor them – this is always in our control.”
Life will be better if we obey our parents. Do you want your life to be seasoned with health, comfort, and fulfillment? Show honor to your parents while they are alive. My book talks about how we honored our parents after they were gone from us. God promises that blessings of “peace,” “riches and honor,” and added “years of life”—will result if we follow this command.
Here’s a few practical ways to honor your parents:
- Talk frequently with your parents and ask their opinions. Communicate. Communicate. Communicate!
- Give your parents a sincere compliment. Tell them when they’re doing a good job. Live with no regrets.
- Pray for your parents one at a time during your personal prayers. Then text them after you’ve done so.
- Make a goal to tell your friends only positive things about your parents. Never air the family dirty linen!
- Catch yourself before you say something to them you know might hurt their feelings. Words stick like velcro to a wounded heart. Apologize sincerely if you have and see how quickly you are forgiven.
- Find creative ways to show and tell your parents how much you love them. If I have one regret it is that we didn’t or couldn’t honor our parents while they were still living.
Rev. Clifton and Ella Margaret Nixon
