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3 October 2007
Ephesians 6 v 1-4
Children, obey your parents as the Lord wants, because this is the right thing to do. The command says, "Honour your father and mother." This is the first command that has a promise with it - "Then everything will be well with you, and you will have a long life on the earth."
Fathers, do not make your children angry, but raise them with the training and teaching of the Lord.
Well here's some pretty challenging words. No beating around the bush, Paul gets right down to business and tells it like it is. Obey your parents. There's no two ways about it, this is what the Lord wants. Why though? Parents are humans just like us and can sometimes make stupid decisions - the instruction in verse 4 suggests there must be a wrong way to bring up children if there is a right way. So why should I be subject to what my parents tell me to do?
I'm pretty sure it's not because they're always right. Paul doesn't really say why it's 'the right thing to do', but does tell us that it's in our interest. We can't change our parents and these verses show us how to deal with the ones we've got. It might be pretty tough to honour them when they restrict us from going out at night or even when they say hurtful things to us, but the passage clearly shows that it will be good for us. Maybe like a gulp of medicine - tastes pretty rancid at the time but helps you 'have a long life'.
We may find ourselves in any of a whole range of different family situations, where different behaviour is appropriate, but what is clear is that following Jesus demands us to honour our parents. If that's difficult then ask your Heavenly Father to show you how.
Father God, thank you that you are so faithful to me. Thank you for my parents and may you show me how I can glorify you by honouring them. Help me to shine your light in my home. Amen.
Written by Tom thingyburn
Ephesians 6 v 1-4
Children, obey your parents as the Lord wants, because this is the right thing to do. The command says, "Honour your father and mother." This is the first command that has a promise with it - "Then everything will be well with you, and you will have a long life on the earth."
Fathers, do not make your children angry, but raise them with the training and teaching of the Lord.
Well here's some pretty challenging words. No beating around the bush, Paul gets right down to business and tells it like it is. Obey your parents. There's no two ways about it, this is what the Lord wants. Why though? Parents are humans just like us and can sometimes make stupid decisions - the instruction in verse 4 suggests there must be a wrong way to bring up children if there is a right way. So why should I be subject to what my parents tell me to do?
I'm pretty sure it's not because they're always right. Paul doesn't really say why it's 'the right thing to do', but does tell us that it's in our interest. We can't change our parents and these verses show us how to deal with the ones we've got. It might be pretty tough to honour them when they restrict us from going out at night or even when they say hurtful things to us, but the passage clearly shows that it will be good for us. Maybe like a gulp of medicine - tastes pretty rancid at the time but helps you 'have a long life'.
We may find ourselves in any of a whole range of different family situations, where different behaviour is appropriate, but what is clear is that following Jesus demands us to honour our parents. If that's difficult then ask your Heavenly Father to show you how.
Father God, thank you that you are so faithful to me. Thank you for my parents and may you show me how I can glorify you by honouring them. Help me to shine your light in my home. Amen.
Written by Tom thingyburn