Honoring Mom and Dad

The sermon series for the last few weeks has talked about Honor and why it matters. I think this was a very timely series of messages and group studies for me. Over the past few weeks I have been challenged to really search myself and the way I speak to and treat other to determine if I am being honorable. This week we are specifically talking about honoring our parents and our children.

So what does “to honor someone” mean? Related to our parents, honor means

To revere; to respect; to treat with deference and submission (Noah Webster’s 1828 Dictionary)

“But you don’t know what my parents (mom or dad) have done to me?” True I don’t know, but honoring our parents is so important that God included it in the 10 Commandments. In fact, it’s the very first commandment with a promise attached to it.

Exodus 20:12 (NCV) Honor your father and your mother so that you will live a long time in the land that the Lord your God is going to give you.

The promise if we honor our father and our mother is we will live long in the land the Lord is giving us. To the Israelites this was the Promised Land, Canaan. As Christians living in this world today our Promised Land is eternity with Christ; our heavenly home (remember this earth is not our home). In Ephesians 6:1-3 (NCV) Paul writes reiterating this commandment:

 

Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.  “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.”

Based on events of your past or present, you may think this is an impossible request because quite honestly they aren’t that honorable themselves. But God doesn’t call us to honor those who honor us first. The commandment is clear. It says…HONOR your father and your mother. Children (of all ages) should honor (respect) their parents even if their parents are demanding, demeaning, degrading, unfair, etc. This doesn’t mean you have to like what they do or even do something contrary to God’s word. God is sovereign and nothing gets by Him. The Bible tells us that all will stand before Him and give an account of their life.

May I challenge you today to take a look inward and ask:

1. Are you honoring your father and your mother?
2. If your parents are no longer walking this earth, are you honoring their memory?
3. Are you honoring those in authority over you?
4. Are you honoring your spouse and your children?

Just remember…as you become a person of honor you will not only reap rewards (as God promises) you will have a positive impact on those around you (whether you realize it or not).