Children

It says in Ephesians 6:1-3, “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.”’  Think of what this is saying and the promise that goes along with it, would you like to live a long life here on earth?  Then try the best you can to keep this command.  

Does this mean to mind your parents only?  I don’t think so; I think it means to respect your parents, regardless of their personality, whether they are kind or harsh and even overprotective at times.  I know that young people think they know more than their parents today but they usually find out in the end that they don’t.  

Children and parents have a responsibility to love and care for one another, treating one another with respect, trying to understand each other and be committed to care for each other.  Even some of the best parents make mistakes, sometimes over reacting to situations or circumstances they find themselves in and realizing it too late.

I remember when my wife and I started having kids, I had so much baggage emotionally and psychologically that I had no idea how to raise kids, at first I couldn’t even go to my kids, they had to come to me because I had no idea what love was.  When the kids misbehaved or when I got angry I would rant and rave, shouting and slamming things and become somewhat out of control.  Even after being committed and dedicated to the Lord, being delivered from alcohol and drugs and the party lifestyle, I still had psychological and emotional problems and it took many years for me to realize that God loved me and forgave me.  God finally got through to me because of the way my wife loved me, which I always thought was unconditional.

I believe that all parents, whether they are Christians or not, have some kind of baggage they seem to carry around with them, none of them are perfect or ever will be perfect although some seem to do a better job at parenting than others.  The fact is that the promise is for the children that honor their parents regardless.  And parents have a great responsibility to raise their kids up in the love and admonition of the Lord, showing and teaching them to have a healthy fear of the Lord and to keep His commandments, for this is the whole duty of man, as well as parents.  And let me throw in this point, children are not commanded to obey their parents if they are told to disobey the Lord.  But no matter how old you are, if your parents are alive, you are commanded to honor them.

Children when you love, honor and respect your parents, you will do the same with the Lord, who must come first in your life.  Parents when you love and respect your kids, showing them by the way you live, they will find it much easier to accept, love, respect and honor the Lord.  Something to think about, have a great day and may the Lord bless you!!