The relationship between an individual and his/her parents is a very delicate one which extends through the individual's lifetime. It starts with the individual being taken care of by his/her parents and is expected to also reciprocate when the parents are old.
As a child you take it for granted that your parents should take care of you because, after all, they brought you into this world without your consent. They should also feed you and nurture you to be the best that you can be.
But wait a minute, what if they do not carry out their parenting duties; what if they do not show you the love that you "deserve"; what if they see you as a burden, a cost centre; what if you don't see eye to eye with them and you are just waiting to grow up to get out of the house and live your own life. So that you can shut them out equally. Is this right? Exodus 20:12 would certainly pose a great dilemma trying to walk the Christian walk.
This is one commandment with a promise proposed by God.
“Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the LORD your God is giving you.
What if you don't feel like?
As a child you take it for granted that your parents should take care of you because, after all, they brought you into this world without your consent. They should also feed you and nurture you to be the best that you can be.
But wait a minute, what if they do not carry out their parenting duties; what if they do not show you the love that you "deserve"; what if they see you as a burden, a cost centre; what if you don't see eye to eye with them and you are just waiting to grow up to get out of the house and live your own life. So that you can shut them out equally. Is this right? Exodus 20:12 would certainly pose a great dilemma trying to walk the Christian walk.
This is one commandment with a promise proposed by God.
“Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the LORD your God is giving you.
What if you don't feel like?
In the Bible, there are rules and warning clauses to follow. The relationship between parent and children starts at birth as a connection of love. The differences between God’s word and promises are the present world and the society we live in. Churches are made to act as check and balances; we cannot achieve salvation without establishing positive morality. Children need our presence more than your presents, a broken home will results to a broken relationship.
ReplyDeleteColossians 3:20, says, “Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord."
(Ephesians 6:1-3; says, “Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right. Honour thy father and mother; (which is the first commandment with promise) That it may be well with thee, and thou may live long on the earth.
In Ephesians 6:4, it says, “And, ye fathers provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.
The responsibilities of parents are not only to enjoy the pleasure of sex and have countless children, but to take collective responsibilities for their actions.
Proverbs 13:24 says, "If you refuse to discipline your son, it proves you don't love him; for if you love him, you will be prompt to punish him.” Hence the bible say in (Proverbs 22:6), “Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.
But if you look at Ezekiel 20:18, “And I said to their children in the wilderness, do not walk in the statutes of your fathers, nor keep their rules, nor defile yourselves with their idols. This verse talks about neglect and negative influence. The issues of honoring parents are what God expects every child to do but that comes with responsibility. The responsibility of educating the child about God’s rule and moral. Deuteronomy 11:19, “ You shall teach them to your children, talking of them when you are sitting in your house, and when you are walking by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise”. Children need our presence more than your presents. Showing love to our children is encouraging them to love and honour us when we are old. The way a child is loved will determine if the parent will end up in a nursing home.
My question is "what is 'honor' to us? In this heavily commercialized existence of ours, someone once said..."I send them money for their upkeep every month, they had better not be expecting anything else from me"
ReplyDeleteI was traumatized! I appreciate that as people age, their earning power reduces but the needs do not necessarily reduce so they need financial support...but I also know that as people age, they CRAVE company, warmth, that phone call that askshow they are doing, that little joke that puts a smile on their faces.
Honouring does not have to be anything ostentatious, just think of it as one little thing you can do and always win at while sowing a seed for yourself!
Pick the phone today and honor their craving for attention....it' as cheap as 20k per second on most networks!!!!!
Anon1: I understand your closing remarks which states that "the way a child is loved will determine if the parent will end up in a nursing home". But what if a child is treated badly by the parents while growing up, does it mean that the child is not bound to honour his/her parents? Because I do believe that God knows that some parents will not/do not know how to rear their children. It would seem that God says that this commandment holds irrespective of whether you, as a child, are treated badly.
ReplyDeleteAnon2: I feel you. Sometimes in the hustle and bustle of everyday activities, we do not think that our parents deserve even a phone call. At least, they should understand that times have changed and we have our lives to live. I do believe we owe our parents the right to honour them. It is good and blessed