Honor Your Father and Mother
A picture of my mom and dad. Very special to me. After 30 some years of marriage, this weekend they’re spending time together in the mountains at a marriage retreat.
I have moments where I think “How did my mom and dad do it?” How did they raise and love us four obnoxious, noisy, expensive kids? How did they keep their sanity? How did they parent and continue to build a marriage? How did they persevere?
On a daily basis, those questions alone seem to stir thoughts of great respect and praise for the job they did. We all have someone we can look back and think of the respect we owe for their patience through our upbringing.
The Bible has a lot to say about honor. But from a very early age I specifically remember the importance of honor for your parents…
“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 be well with you and you may live long on the earth.” Eph 6:1–3
“Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land that the LORD your God is giving you.” Exo 20:12
“Pay to all what is owed to them: taxes to whom taxes are owed, revenue to whom revenue is owed, respect to whom respect is owed, honor to whom honor is owed.” Romans 13:7
As a young dad myself, I’m learning the great challenge of raising children. Parenting has to the biggest sacrifice one can make. When a young couple abandons their own wants to serve their childrens needs. It’s the noble privilege of giving up your todays for your children’s tomorrows.
And therein lies the answer to all those questions. Great sacrifice. The love they gave me is the same love they received from God, their Heavenly Father. They built a marriage and family by shadowing that love and sacrifice the Father gave them through Jesus Christ.
Children honor their parents through obedience. Moms and dads honor God by loving their children. And my parents did exactly that. Which leaves me eternally grateful to be the unworthy recipient of their sacrifice, and hoping to do half the good for mine as they did in me.
As a grown man, my desire is still to live in a way that honors my parents. To give honor to whom honor is owed. So much of who I am, and who I will be, I owe to them. Thanks Mom and Dad.
