| Honoring my mother went against my human nature. | | | | (Hebrews 12:9; Malachi 1:6). |
| She was an abusive mother. But I did honor her and I | | | | Honoring inside and out |
| was also kind to her until the day she died. When I | | | | Obviously, we're commanded to honor our parents |
| wrote about it recently, I was shocked at the emails | | | | but how? Honor them with not just your actions, but |
| and comments I received. So many people wrote, | | | | also with your attitudes (Mark 7:6). Honor their |
| telling me all kinds of stories, trying to convince me | | | | unspoken as well as spoken wishes. "A wise son |
| their experiences and their pains were "unique". It | | | | heeds his father's instruction, but a scorner does not |
| made me wonder why they thought their experience | | | | hear rebuke." (Proverbs 13:1). |
| was so much worse than anyone else's. Pain is pain! | | | | In Matthew 15:3-9, Jesus reminded the Pharisees of |
| I've been thinking about it since Mother's Day, and | | | | the command of God to honor their father and |
| I'm realizing that many do not really understand what | | | | mother. They were obeying the letter of the law, |
| it means to honor their parents! Either they have not | | | | but they had added their own traditions that |
| studied their Bibles (I recommend Life Application | | | | essentially overruled it. While they honored their |
| Study Bible NIV ) or the previous generations have | | | | parents in word, their actions proved their real heart |
| not taught them what it means to HONOR. Thus, this | | | | motive. Honor is more than mere lip service. The |
| article. | | | | word honor in this passage is a verb and, hence, |
| Honoring your father and mother is the respectful | | | | demands a right choice/action. |
| words and actions that stems from an inward | | | | The word honor includes the idea of bringing glory to |
| attitude of esteem for their positions, not their | | | | someone. 1 Corinthians 10:31 tells us that whatever |
| personalities! | | | | we say or do, we are to do all to the glory of God. |
| Definition of "honor" | | | | We should seek to honor our parents in a similar way |
| The Greek word honor means to revere, prize, and | | | | that Christians strive to bring glory to God in their |
| value. Honor is giving respect not only for merit but | | | | thoughts, words, and actions. |
| also for rank. For example, some Americans may | | | | Does honor include obedience? |
| disagree with the President's decisions, but they | | | | The Greek word "hypakouo" means to obey, to |
| should still respect his position as leader of their | | | | listen, or to heed. When a child is of minor age, then |
| country. Similarly, children of all ages should honor | | | | obeying parents runs hand and hand with honoring |
| their parents - regardless of whether their parents | | | | parents. That includes listening, heeding, and |
| "deserve" honor or not. (My mother certainly did not | | | | submitting to their authority. After a child is mature, |
| "deserve" it!) | | | | the obedience that they learned as a child will serve |
| Biblical basis of honoring parents | | | | them well in honoring authorities such as government |
| God is the One who exhorts us to honor father and | | | | and employers. |
| mother. He values honoring parents enough to include | | | | While we're required to honor parents, that doesn't |
| it in the 10 Commandments (Exodus 20:12) and again | | | | include imitating ungodly ones (Ezekiel 20:18-19). What |
| in the New Testament: "Children, obey your parents | | | | if your parents ask you to do something wrong? In |
| in the Lord, for this is right. Honor your father and | | | | that unlikely case, you must obey God rather than |
| mother which is the first commandment with a | | | | man (Acts 5:28). |
| promise, so that it may be well with you, and that | | | | The rewards of honor - Honor begets Honor |
| you may live long on the earth." (Ephesians 6:1-3). | | | | The command to honor parents is the only command |
| In Old Testament days, speaking evil against one's | | | | with a promise: "that it may be well with you" |
| parents or rebelling against their instruction resulted in | | | | (Ephesians 6:3). Honor begets honor. God will not |
| capital punishment (Exodus 21:15-17; Matthew 15:14)! | | | | honor those who will not obey His command to |
| While those who honor their parents are blessed | | | | honor their parents. |
| (Jeremiah 35:18-19), a trait of both a reprobate and a | | | | If you desire to please God and be blessed, honor |
| person in the end times is disobedience to parents | | | | your parents. Honoring isn't easy, isn't always fun, and |
| (Romans 1:30; 2 Timothy 3:2). | | | | certainly isn't possible in our own strength. But honor |
| Solomon, the wisest man, urged children to respect | | | | is a certain path to our purpose in life: glorifying God. |
| their parents (Proverbs 1:8; 13:1; 30:17). Although you | | | | "Children, obey your parents in all things, for this is |
| may not be directly under their authority right now, | | | | well-pleasing to the Lord." (Colossians 3:20). |
| you can't outgrow God's command to honor parents. | | | | In short, honor is more about attitude than lip service |
| Even Jesus, God the Son, submitted Himself to both | | | | - honor for your parents' position as your parents. It |
| His earthly parents and heavenly Father (Matthew | | | | does not matter what their faults are, they are still |
| 26:39; Luke 2:51). Following Christ's example, Christians | | | | superior to you by position, and if you want God's |
| should treat their parents the way they would | | | | blessings, you must honor your parents! |
| reverentially approach their heavenly Father | | | | |