Honoring Parents

Deuteronomy 5:16

Exodus 20:12, Leviticus 19:3, Deuteronomy 5:16, Matthew 15:4, Matthew 19:19, Mark 7:10, Mark 10:19, Luke 18:20, Ephesians 6:2, and Colossians 3:20. What do these passages all have in common? You probably guessed it from the title. They all tell children to honor their parents. When we think of this commandment, many of us think about a kid like my nephew, Emmitt, in the picture. We picture someone kindly telling a little child, "Be good because God said to honor your parents". While it is important to teach this to children from a young age, what if I told you the greater application of this commandment was for Emmitt's parents?

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"Honor your father and your mother, as the LORD your God has commanded you, that your days may be long, and that it may be well with you in the land which the LORD your God is giving you."

Deuteronomy 5:16

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To honor means "to reverence", "to build up" or "to make large". Have you ever seen a little kid who talked about their dad like he was Superman? In that child's eyes, there is nothing that their mom or dad cannot do. They revere their parents. However, as time passes, "reality" starts to set in. The child realizes that their parents have limitations. The awe fades and then the rebellion sets in. Once the child becomes an adult, oftentimes respect reenters the picture, but often it is never expressed because the demands of life demand the child (now an adult with his/her own children) draw their attention away from their parents. Then, all too soon, one or both parents are gone.

Children, through every stage of life, are to be like that little kid who thinks their parents can do anything. You do not always have to like what they tell you, but you know they love you. Like a little kid, when you are corrected, you should run to them, not away from them. A 40-year-old son should tell people how much he loves and respects his mom and dad, just like a 4-year-old son. The 4-year-old might say, "My dad can beat up your dad" while the 40-year-old might say, "My dad gives me the best advice".

When we nurture that adoration and honor, we will be prepared for the final stage of the parent/child relationship. That stage is the care for our elderly parents. Paul wrote:

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"Honor widows who are really widows. But if any widow has children or grandchildren, let them first learn to show piety at home and to repay their parents; for this is good and acceptable before God.

But 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."

I Timothy 5:3,4,8

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Think about verse 8 for just a moment. Paul says that a person who does not take care of his elderly mother is worse than an unbeliever. An unbeliever is one who is worthy of Hell. There is nothing righteous about them. Their goodness is like filthy (bloody) rags.

Honoring parents has to be an intentional act. It requires that we cultivate those feelings. It comes with a promise. A civilization that does not honor their parents is a civilization that will fall. If we do not respect those who brought us into this world and cared and nurtured us, then who will we respect? This is a civilization that will rot from within.

Father, thank You for parents. No parent is perfect, and yet You gave them to us to care and provide for us. You also gave us the responsibility to care for them when they grow old. Help us to develop respect and honor for our parents so that we are present in their lives. May we lift them up to the position that You expect.