“Children obey your parents in the Lord for this is right. Honor your father and mother which is the first commandment with promise- that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth”
Ephesians 6:1-3 (NIV).
God’s instruction for children to honor their parents is for a lifetime. Everyone in this world is a child of a parent. Your prosperity, success, and enjoyment of long life are attached to obeying and honoring your parents. Parents are instructed to train their children in the way of the Lord, so when they grow they will not depart from it (Proverbs 22:6). It is very easy for a child who is born again, filled with the Holy Spirit and raised in the way of the Lord to honor their parents, because the child is led by the Holy Spirit to do the will of God cheerfully. This kind of obedience requires the right heart attitude (Romans 6:17), and an act of submission to the lordship of Christ. Our Lord Jesus while on earth was in subjection to his earthly parents (Luke 2:51).
To honor is to esteem highly and respectfully. You honor your parents by greatly valuing them for God’s sake. You honor with your words, conduct, and substance. To disobey or dishonor your parents is to treat them lightly or with contempt by despising them in your heart. The consequences are you open the door to the devil to afflict you, it will not be well with you, and you die untimely. The exception to obeying your parents would be if they ask you to act in violation of the Word of God. Even then, you must demonstrate a humble and submissive spirit out of reverence, and respectfully appeal to them, explaining your reasons of not obeying them in that instance. You may be punished but rejoice in the Lord, that you are counted worthy to suffer for Christ. Learn to forgive them, avoid being resentful towards them, and pray for their salvation. Walk in God’s love and apply wisdom towards them on how to obey and honor them. It is for your own good.
PRAYER / CONFESSION
Dear Father, I take the grace required to honor my father and mother which is the first commandment with promise- that it may go well with me, and I will enjoy life and live long on the earth in the name of the Lord Jesus.
WISDOM NUGGET
“And he went down with them, and came to Nazareth, and was subject unto them: but his mother kept all these sayings in her heart.” Luke 2:51 (KJV)