Monday, October 17, 2022

5TH COMMANDMENT

Honor thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.

Exodus 20:12

Inspired by the sermons of an anonymous pastor who served in ministry at Windsor Forest in the 1960’s.

This pastor writes, “I heard a story years ago which I want to tell you the best I can. In a small community there lived a young man and his aging father. The father was getting too old to work and the son did not want to keep him. So, he decided to take him over the hill to the poor house. Having no way to ride the two men started out walking. After a while, the old father became tired and they had to stop and rest. The son said, ‘Father, you sit here on this large stone, and I’ll sit on the smaller one.’ Soon, the younger man noticed that the father was weeping. He asked, ‘What is the matter, father?’ The older man answered, ‘Thirty years ago I took my father over the hill to the poor house. We stopped to rest at this spot. I sat where you are sitting, and he sat where I am sitting.’ As I recall the story, when they arose to go, the son said, ‘Come on father, let’s go back home.’”

My mom would say that we are to cast our bread upon the waters, for after many days you will find it again (Ecclesiastes 11:1). We honor our parents knowing that one day, by the grace of God, we will be in the same season they are in.

We are to honor our parents, for this is right (Ephesians 6:12). If you are like me, this is something you told your children as they were growing up. The family is a divine institution – the foundation of our society. The quality of our families determines the quality of lives in communities. Parents have a big job to do. First of all, they give children life, and they love them unconditionally.

We must also remember that parents have a responsibility to live for Christ and set the right example before children. It is difficult for a child to honor a parent who dishonors God. Parents also have the responsibility to give their children the kind of love that nobody else on earth can. Paul tells fathers to not provoke their children to wrath but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord (Colossians 3:21). Fathers must provide discipline but not do it in a way to irritate or arouse feelings of anger, hurt, shame, and fear.

PRAYER: Lord, teach me to honor my parents and walk out this commandment. If my parents are no longer here, teach me to honor those who are older than me and let me seize opportunities to help them. In the name of Jesus, I pray. Amen.