2 minute read
Honor Thy Father And Mother
from July 2020
Gò0dNews onHonor
Honor Thy Father And Mother
Advertisement
by Selina Davis
The Fifth Commandment, “Honor thy father and thy mother,” is probably one of my most-remembered Sunday school lessons from my childhood. As a child, I remember thinking this was one of the easiest to keep. When Moses brought the commandments down from Mt. Sinai, he brought the first covenant between a parent and a child(ren): a parent’s commitment to love and nurture their child, a commitment to help keep their child safe. In
return, a child would respect and honor their parent.
After having a conversation with a friend regarding her dread over Father’s Day, I was quick to realize this commandment did not come so easily for others. She spoke of hurt, abandonment, and a severed relationship with her earthly father. During this conversation, she asked, “How am I to honor a man who was abusive to me at such an early age and later abandoned our family?” I consider myself blessed to have parents who were both loving and nurturing. I have never felt that sting of hurt and abandonment from a parent. I wanted to speak God’s truth and make sure I came from a place of love, not letting personal feelings get in the way. However, I kept getting stuck on the word honor. The definition of honor requires us to give high respect and esteem. I couldn’t help but wonder if this relationship ever rose to this level. I am a mother and a daughter and have looked through both lenses and wanted to give her a biblical model to follow. After researching Scripture, I came up with six foundational principles to share with her regarding her father: 1: Pray for him 2: Be a Christian model 3: See to his essential needs 4: Look for common ground—establish boundaries or a safe zone where you don’t reflect on past hurts 5: Refuse to speak ill of your father 6: Forgive him as God has forgiven us. God will help you with this. The reward of honoring your parents is told in Ephesians 6:3: “That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth.” If we are willing to make efforts to honor our parents, we are honoring God. As I followed up with my friend months later, I am reminded of God’s faithfulness. Over time, she has slowly established a relationship with her earthly father. They have forgiven each other and left the past in the past, just as God leaves our past behind us. By doing this, they are honoring God and His commandments. God has given us what we don’t deserve: His grace and mercy.
About The Author Selina Davis is a Human Resource Manager and attends Samples Memorial Baptist Church. She and her husband Brian loves spending time with their 8 grandchildren and traveling.
