Honor and Respect

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." Ephesians 6:1-3

No matter how old you get, this verse still applies. Honoring our parents doesn’t stop when we leave home – in some cases, it just begins. Notice that this verse doesn’t have a prerequisite to it. It doesn’t say that we only have to give honor to “good” parents, but to any parent.

We often have the idea that respect has to be earned for us to give it to someone. However, that isn’t what the Bible says. Respect and honor are attitudes we should have because of one’s position of authority. For example, policemen require honor and respect because of the badge they wear. The same can be said about our parents. No, they don’t have a badge (maybe they should), but parents require honor because of their position as parents.

I love how this verse has a promise attached to it, “that it may be well with you and you may live long on the earth.” Our lives will be better when we give honor where honor is due. I understand this may be a hard pill to swallow for some who have had complicated relationships with their parents. However, honor is just like forgiveness. We don’t have to feel it before we do it. Many times it is an act of faith.

Parents are a gift to us – they gave us life. We are to give them the honor and respect for that gift.

Dear Lord, thank you for my parents. Show me how I can best honor them for giving me life. Amen.