Alright, it’s been a long break in this series but I hope you’re ready to pick this topic back up again. As a reminder if you’ve forgotten or as a recap if you’re new here, I started writing a series on the ten commandments in which I was attempting to demonstrate how all, if not most of, the world’s problems and struggles would not exist if all humans we’re obedient to the commandments. I was going through the commandments in reverse order (with reason to be included in the conclusion) to show that God has our best interests at heart. It is too easy for many people to disregard God and look at what he asks us to do as old fashion, impractical and lame. That is simply not true. So far I have covered coveting, false witness, stealing, killing and adultery. Lets pick this back up with honoring your father and mother.
I have to say this post did not come easy to me. I really had to work through this one and did many revisions to end up where I am at. Why I struggled is because I could describe this as a grey area commandment. Not in the sense that God is off base in asking us to do this but rather in the sense that the lines in the relationship of parent and child have been so blurred in today’s society. With many split homes, both parents working and other activities outside the family, relationships at home are struggling more so today than they ever have. So many families are dysfunctional for a myriad of reasons that bringing honor into the equation is nearly unthinkable. Society has infiltrated the family dynamic to such a degree that no one has a clear picture on how things are “supposed to be.” Also, I have found it hard to pinpoint what the benefits would be of this commandment being followed, but I know they’re there. Let’s dig in.
Honour defined
The definition of honour seems to be somewhat wide. I will list the top five below. Click here if you want to see them all. Other definitions are important before we move on as well. Click on the linked words below if you want to see them before reading on.
- honesty, fairness, or integrity in one’s beliefs and actions: a man of honor.
- a source of credit or distinction: to be an honor to one’s family.
- high respect, as for worth, merit, or rank: to be held in honor.
- such respect manifested: a memorial in honor of the dead.
There are a lot of words there that are included in the arena of honor but I think this can be made rather simple. Parents bring children into the world and do their best (in most cases, I hope) to care for and raise their children as best they can. They are due honor from their children because it would serve to foster a more loving relationship between parent child. What parent doesn’t want to feel and recieve honesty, fairness, integrity, distinction, respect, worth and merit from their child. These things would only fuel parents to serve their children more.
In so many homes parents and children spend so much time and energy bickering, fighting and exerting energy on meaningless fights. The family dynamic is in rough shape in North America with many families falling apart every day. It is a tall order and a difficult one for children to wrap their heads around but if they could do a better job at honoring their parents there would be a revolution in families across the world instantly.
If you are a parent and you’re reading this and you have a stubborn child that doesn’t listen or show any appreciation for the things you do, welcome to how God feels everyday. Do you soemtimes walk that fine line of wanting to do something to set your kids straight when they are being outright defiant to the rules you give them? Rules that you set in place for their own well being and safety? Then when somethign abd happens your expected to fix the situation immediatley? God deals with that on a mass scale all the time. It’s not to fun is it.
God is the parent of us all and deserves to be honored. If we can get our minds there and help children understand that I think a lot of things would change. Some of the results of children honoring their parents would be happier mroe fullfilled parents. This would lead to less fighting at home between all family members. Children would be safer from things that can harm them and get in the way of a prosperous future. At the end of the day a large part of our population would be happier in their day to day lives. That sounds pretty good to me. To finish, here are a couple scriptures in relation to this topic.
But if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a large millstone hung around his neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea. Matthew 18:6
I like the above verse for the reason that it answers the question “What is a parent wants their child to do something wrong or illegal”. God knows what we will think to do and thats why this warning is issued.
Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. Honor your father and mother — which is the first commandment with a promise — that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth. Ephesians 1:6-3
To my point in the article, if children are not rebellious and listen to wise advice from parents, it should help add years onto their lives.
Husbands, love your wives and do not be harsh with them. Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord. Fathers, do not embitter your children, or they will become discouraged. Colosians 3:19-21
God is again protecting children from parents that may abuse the authority that has been granted to them, remiding parents to not be so harsh with their children that they become discouraged.
Tags: Add new tag, Bible, Christianity, commandments, God, Jesus