THE LORD SAYS – “COME CHILDREN, LISTEN TO ME”
January 18, 2025WHAT IS YOUR PRAYER FOR YOUR CHILDREN?
January 20, 2025The approach towards family, is so intensely biased and tilted towards the children. I did a little bit of research on the internet, and found out that the focus of all instructions, by most writers of articles, are towards parents, but almost none, asking the children to honour and care for their parents. Yes, there are bad parents, undoubtedly. There are terribly bad children too. I have an unsettling feeling that, there will be more bad children, than bad parents. But, this malady is almost never spoken about. At least, never as forcefully as one gets to read about parents should care for their children This is a tragedy, and the Church doesn’t seem to have any clue about this. Probably, like many issues in the world, the Church and Christians are sleeping away to glory…sadly.
Dr. Ahona Guha, in her article, “What Happens When a Child Abuses a Parent” in Psychology Today, observes…
– “Child-to-parent violence is a subset of family violence that is often ignored or misidentified. This behaviour includes aggression, violence, or coercion perpetrated by an adolescent or adult child toward parents. Risk factors for child-to-parent violence include substance use, a history of experiencing parental violence, and social maladjustment.”
The Bible, which is the voice and the will of God in written form, has a lot to speak on this subject, and quite forcefully. Hereunder are the Words of God, for the education and enlightenment of the children who have forgotten or are wilfully ignoring their responsibility towards their aged parents.
1- HONOUR THE PARENTS – THIS IS GODS COMMAND
– “12 “Honour your father and your mother, that your days may be long upon the land which the LORD your God is giving you.” – Exodus 20:12
– “1 And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 2 “Speak to all the congregation of the children of Israel, and say to them: You shall be holy, for I the LORD your God am holy. 3 Every one of you shall revere his mother and his father, and keep My Sabbaths: I am the LORD your God.” – Leviticus 19:1-4
– “16 Honour your father and your mother, as the LORD your God has commanded you, that your days may be long, and that it may be well with you in the land which the LORD your God is giving you.” – Deuteronomy 5:16
David Guzik commenting on Exodus 20 has these enlightening words about the fifth commandment…
– “To honour one’s parents includes to prize them, to care for them, and to show respect or reverence to them. The command is given to children, but not for only while they are children.” – David Guzik
2- DO NOT MISTREAT OR ABUSE THE PARENTS
– “16 Cursed is the one who treats his father or his mother with contempt.’ “And all the people shall say, ‘Amen!’” – Deuteronomy 27:16
– “4 For God commanded, saying, Honour your father and your mother’; and, He who curses father or mother, let him be put to death.’” – Matthew 15:4
3- PLEASE GIVE DUE THOUGHT TO THE ADVISE OF THE PARENTS – OBEDIENCE IS BETTER STILL
– “8 My son, hear the instruction of your father, And do not forsake the law of your mother; 9 For they will be a graceful ornament on your head, And chains about your neck.” – Proverbs 1:8-9
– “20 My son, keep your father’s command, And do not forsake the law of your mother. 21 Bind them continually upon your heart; Tie them around your neck. 22 When you roam, they will lead you; When you sleep, they will keep you; And when you awake, they will speak with you.” – Proverbs 6:20-22
4- DO CARE FOR THE AGED PARENTS
– 22 Listen to your father who begot you, And do not despise your mother when she is old.” – Proverbs 23:22
5- GOD’S JUST PUNISHMENT AWAITS ALL WHO DISRESPECT AND ABUSE THEIR PARENTS
– “17 The eye that mocks a father and scorns to obey a mother will be picked out by the ravens of the valley and eaten by the vultures.” – Proverbs 30:17
6- HONOURING PARENTS IS A ONE OF ITS KIND COMMAND
– “1 Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. 2 “Honour your father and mother,” which is the first commandment with promise: 3 “that it may be well with you and you may live long on the earth.” – Ephesians 6:1-3
Caring and honouring our parents is the only commandment in the Decalogue, that has a specific blessing attached to its adherence. It is no accident nor coincidence that it was written down in such a way. God made this specific promise, and hence it was recorded for our, obedience, blessing and benefit.
– “A good child lengtheneth his father’s days; therefore God promiseth to lengthen his.” – John Trapp
7- WHAT IF THE PARENTS ARE WRONG?
Even if they are wrong, gently and with respect tell them how we see it. Then, let it go, and leave it there. However, never ever stop respecting our parents, because of how they have behaved. That is irrelevant to the command that God has given us. Errors of the parents can be taken into consideration as a fact, but it should never influence our judgement, in regards to, honouring our parents. The principle of “whoever hasn’t sinned should cast the first stone” [John 8:7] is very much valid in all human relationships, in this context, honouring our parents.
May the LORD help us to truly honour our parents. May we hear our LORD say, “Well done thou good and faithful servant.” – Matthew 25:21. Even so the LORD help us.
