Day 9 – Exodus 20:12; Ephesians 6:1-3

¹² “Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you. ^[1]

6   Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. ² “Honor your father and mother”—which is the first commandment with a promise— ³ “that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth.” ^[2]

This present society has been quick to protect the rights it believes children should have over their parents and other adult authority figures even when it comes to life and death decisions. For example, girls as young as age fifteen can have an abortion without their parent’s consent, but cannot vote, drive, drink or smoke. But nothing is being said about the commandment from God children have to honor their parents or the instruction from the Apostle Paul to obey them. This day is very different from when I was growing up. I was loathe to disobey or disrespect my parents and the consequences were dire if I did.

Let us be clear, not all of the protections and rights society has given are unwarranted. Many are absolutely necessary to protect children from the predators and abusers that are many, but responsible parents are increasingly losing the ability to control their children and children are being taught to disrespect their parents. To honor implies respect, obedience and care for the needs of the parents. Just as parents have the responsibility to care for their children when they were unable to care for themselves, so now children must accept the responsibility to care for their parents when they are unable to care for themselves. Many adults with older parents are living this reality and are taking this call seriously, but there are others who place their own well-being and that of their own families above that of their parents. Paul echoes the commandment by pointing out that such respect, obedience and care of one’s parents is the right thing to do and that those who do will enjoy “long life on earth.” This is the only commandment with a promise. Let we who are fortunate to have our parents with us still do the right thing as it relates to our parents.

Dear Lord, I thank You for my parents, even as I thank you for the legacy that resides in them from the generations that influenced them. I thank You for the love, care, and concern they still demonstrate for me even though I have been fully grown a long time. Forgive me, and all who think they are fully grown, for a lack of respect and rebellion against our parents. Speak to my children, and all children, teens and young adults everywhere, about respect for and obedience to their parents. Convict their hearts where they have been rebellious and draw them back to Your side that their days may be long in the Land. Amen.