Ephesians 6:2 “Honor~~ your father and mother,” which is the first commandment with promise: ‘that it may be well with you and you may live long on the earth’”
The core value of any society is the family. When people conceive negative beliefs that demean and depreciate the importance of the family, our society or our church is doomed to fail.
A major issue with teenagers is their selfish bitterness and disillusionment toward their parents, which provokes them to reject their parents as well as their parents’ values and beliefs. Parents are what they are, and children must learn from whatever wisdom their parents possess and submit to them in order to mature.
A child’s twofold responsibility is to learn to be obedient (Eph 6:1) and to “honor” his parents (6:2). These two aspects are different. Obedience is an obligation while under the parent’s care, but to honor is to respect and love perpetually. To honor is the only command of the Ten Commandments that relates to the family. If obeyed, it is the foundation for healthy families.
This commandment includes the promise “that it may go well with you” and that you will have a long life on earth (6:3). Anyone who grows up in a family where obedience, self-discipline, and respect of parents are emphasized will have the keys to all relationships in an ordered and harmonious society.
The word honor means “to reverence, to worship, to hold in awe, to value at a high price.” This is the learned attitude of slaves (or employees) toward their masters (or bosses; 1 Tim 6:11), of husbands toward wives (1 Pet 3:7), and of everyone toward those in government and leadership (Rom 13:7).
The failure of parents, as well as by children, to practice biblical principles is inevitably the cause of family dysfunction and disintegration. If children would learn obedience, respect, and forgiveness in the family and parents would learn patience, caring respect, and how to discipline their children without destroying their self-worth, more families would be healthy.
Children must learn to forgive their parents for hurtful words or acts of embarrassment or abuse, especially when used as a misguided means of correcting a child.
How are you honoring your parents or leaders?
“Dear Jesus, I praise You for the parents who teach their children to seek excellence, to be honest, to love and honor God, to be diligent, and to be giving. May I always honor the memory of my own parents by following their example and by passing on Your teachings to the next generation.”