God’s commandment for children to honor father and mother includes the promise of a long and full life. Scripture also emphasizes obedience to parents. Honor comes through respect and love. Obedience involves accepting parental authority and doing what they say. Ward and June Cleaver are fictional; no parent measures up to that model. But, many times, children spend their whole lives ridiculing or talking bad about their parents. No matter how un-Christ-like our parents, God still calls us to respect and obey them to the level our Christian faith allows. Poor parenting is not a license for a child to trash his parents; rather, it’s a challenge for a child to find and focus on the good qualities—however masked or miniscule.
HOW DO YOU RELATE?
Read Exodus 20:12, Deuteronomy 5:16, and Ephesians 6:1-3.
In your notebook write down how you have honored your parents (i.e., speaking well of them to others and being polite to them). Also write down ways you have obeyed your parents (i.e., following their spiritual teachings). If you have had a tumultuous relationship with one or both parents, write down ways you can still honor and obey them according to Scripture, even if they’re gone already.
Mona Dukes
South Carolina
PRAY TOGETHER: Pray for the Ohio State WAC Meeting this month.
