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December 14, 2023
Honoring Your Parents
Every act of gratitude is a refinement of our soul.
Precious child, ‘What is Honor?’ Honor in Greek means “to respect, prize, value, and reverence.” Honor is giving respect not only to deserve it but also for a position. We are to honor those in authority. “If you do not listen, and if you do not take it to heart to give honor to My name,” says the LORD of hosts, “then I will send the curse upon you, and I will curse your blessings; and indeed, I have cursed them already, because you are not taking it to heart. (Malachi 2:2) Honor is a choice!
1. Honor your parents.
Your parents should be an essential part of your life. The Bible says, ‘Honor Your father and your mother, that your days may be prolonged in the land which the Lord your God gives you.’ (Exodus 20:12). “Honor your father and mother.” This is the first commandment with a promise: If you honor your father and mother, “things will go well for you, and you will have a long life on the earth.” (Ephesians 5:1-3, 6:2-3). The Bible doesn’t say to honor your parents when they are kind, no matter how they treat you – you are still to honor them. Learning to honor your parents is a significant courtesy a child should know. Honor means Kindness. Be kind to everyone. Children obey their parents because they belong to the Lord, for this is the right thing to do. Fathers do not provoke your children to anger by the way you treat them. Rather, bring them up with the discipline and instruction that comes from the Lord.
(Ephesians 6:4) “Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be prolonged in the land which the LORD your God gives you. (Exodus 20:12) “Honor your father and mother.” This is the first commandment with a promise: If you honor your father and mother, “things will go well for you, and you will have a long life on the earth.” (Ephesians 6:2-3 NLT)
I am deeply grateful to God that I can honestly say I honored my dad and mom when they were living. My mother died suddenly and unexpectedly, and I took off from ministry and stayed with him for two months to help him acclimate to being alone. He lived for 18 months after my mom passed, they would have been married 60 years had she lived two more months. I went out of state to help care for him during those 18 months every four weeks and stayed with him from a week and a half to two weeks each time as two of my sisters and I rotated. I did everything I did for both my parents because I loved them. The Bible says when we take care of our parents in their older age it is pleasing unto the Lord. Paul teaches that not only children but also grandchildren have a definite obligation to live their religion by providing for their needy parents or grandparents. He bluntly states that they are to repay them for all their kindness and sacrifices. (1 Timothy 5:3-4) It doesn’t let us off the hook even if they were not the best parents.
Today I can tell you it was a great sacrifice to do what I did, but I am so glad I did. We made so many wonderful memories together and that is priceless! Are you honoring your parents?
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