‘“Honor your father and mother’—which is the first commandment with a promise so that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth.” Ephesians 6:2-3
Sadly, I could have done better in honoring my parents. Although I loved them, we had differences at times, and I didn’t always respond to them in the best ways. Sometimes I said things I shouldn’t have and used tones with them that I wish now I hadn’t used.
Although I knew the Bible said to honor our parents, I didn’t understand while growing up the seriousness of not doing so. God is quite strong on His stance of how we are to treat our parents, and most of us don’t truly comprehend how the result of not doing so is severe.
Sadly, with social media, disrespecting parents has taken on a whole new level where kids go online to shame, condemn, and dishonor their mothers and fathers.
We are hearing more and more about kids rising up and pitting themselves against their parents. Micah 7:6 describes the scene: “For a son dishonors his father, a daughter rises up against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law—a man’s enemies are the members of his own household.”
Ephesians 6:2-3 explains how it’s not just an encouragement from God to honor parents but much more. It’s a command that comes with a promise. God instructs us to honor our mothers and fathers.
As well, Proverbs 30:11-13 clearly spells out the severity of dishonoring our parents: “There are those who curse their fathers and do not bless their mothers; those who are pure in their own eyes and yet are not cleansed of their filth; those whose eyes are ever so haughty, whose glances are so disdainful; the eye that mocks a father, that scorns an aged mother, will be pecked out by the ravens of the valley, will be eaten by the vultures.”
Likewise, Proverbs 20:20 warns, “If someone curses their father or mother, their lamp will be snuffed out in pitch darkness.”
It is truly critical to honor our parents because not doing so leads to death.
But what’s our motivation? Where is our inspiration to do so?
The answer is, “Because God says so.” So do we need any other reason?
Although it seems like the quick and easy answer, there is more to it. In not honoring our mothers and fathers, we’re dishonoring God. Whenever we reject His commands, it’s a rejection of Him.
God created the family structure. As our heavenly Father, He set it up and doesn’t take the order of it lightly. He placed fathers and mothers in authority over their children, a place of honor in the family, and God takes His order and what it represents to Him and to us seriously.
God knows parents aren’t perfect, yet He still calls children to honor theirs. Honoring our fathers and mothers isn’t at all about their qualities or lack of qualities or whether they’ve earned it or deserve it or not.
It’s about us choosing to obey God over our feelings, hurts, rejections, disappointments, and more. It’s a heart issue, and we’re not talking about our parents’ hearts but rather our own.
Although individuals may feel justified in dishonoring their parents, thinking God understands and supports their actions, He doesn’t approve. He knows their actions aren’t rooted in their parents actions but rather stem from a heart of rebellion towards Him and His ways.
Additionally, God doesn’t give waivers that exempt kids from honoring imperfect parents. Choosing to dishonor our parents is choosing to directly dishonor God.
Even more so, 1 Timothy 5:1 takes it a step further, directing us to extend this honoring of parents to those in our parents’ peer groups: “Do not rebuke an older man harshly, but exhort him as if he were your father. Treat younger men as brothers.”
Popular Christian author and speaker Joyce Meyer, whose father did unspeakable things to her growing up, didn’t believe her father deserved to be honored. Like most of us, she thought his actions had disqualified him from receiving it.
Yet God didn’t exempt her from following His command to do so. Wanting to obey God more than following her own way and understanding, she forgave and honored her dad, extending kindness to an undeserving father.
Let’s Pray:
Dear Father,
Help us to honor You by honoring our parents. Forgive us for the ways we have dishonored You by dishonoring our mothers and fathers.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen
Photo Credit: ©GettyImages/skynesher
Lynette Kittle is married with four daughters. She enjoys writing about faith, marriage, parenting, relationships, and life. Her writing has been published by Focus on the Family, Decision, Today’s Christian Woman, kirkcameron.com, Ungrind.org, StartMarriageRight.com, and more. She has a M.A. in Communication from Regent University and serves as associate producer for Soul Check TV.
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Originally published Tuesday, 24 September 2024.
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