My dad recently turned 90 years old and his physical capabilities are fading. He can still move around with his walker, but he needs someone to cook his meals and help him with other tasks.
My older brother Steve and his wife Judy lived close to him, so they decided to move in with Dad to care for him. Wanting to help in some way, my wife and I flew across the country to help out a bit by watching Dad while my brother and his wife had some time away together. We enjoyed our time with my father and were glad to ease Steve and Judy’s load—even if it was only for a few days.
The Bible says to “honor your father and mother” (Eph. 6:2). One New Testament commentary says that to honor someone is to “treat him with the deference, respect, reverence, kindness, courtesy, and obedience which his station in life . . . demands.”
For young children, this means obeying parents. For teenagers, it indicates showing respect for Mom and Dad even if you think you know more than they do. For young adults, this means including your parents in your life. And for those in middle-age and beyond, it means making sure that parents are cared for as they move into old age or their health declines.
How can you honor your parents this week? — By Dennis Fisher (Our Daily Bread; 11/29/11)
Don’t miss the opportunity
To honor and obey
The parents God has given you—
For they’ll be gone someday. —Sper
Honoring our parents has no age limit.
READ:Exodus 20:1-17
1 And God spake all these words, saying,
2 I am the LORD thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.
3 Thou shalt have no other gods before me.
4 Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.
5 Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me;
6 And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.
7 Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.
8 Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.
9 Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work:
10 But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates:
11 For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.
12 Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.
13 Thou shalt not kill.
14 Thou shalt not commit adultery.
15 Thou shalt not steal.
16 Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour.
17 Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour’s.
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I know that this is an article written in inspiration from God’s Word and I know that this blog is not for the purpose of ‘counseling’, but I am troubled by the amount of times we are encouraged to “honor” father and mother and we very seldom hear about if or when there are times when ‘elders’ should NOT be honored or in what way. Unfortunately, I am the child of parents who taught me to honor them/elders always even when they dishonor God. The Holy Spirit,God’s Word and wise leaders have helped me to see that ‘honoring’ does not always mean agreement with or obedience to whatever they command. I can honor them for allowing me to live, and for not opposing the teaching of God’s Word and I will certainly care for my parents to their dying day in whatever way they have need and in whatever way they will allow. But I cannot ‘honor’ that in them that does not honor Jesus Christ’s teachings.
mrsjb: honoring our fathers and mothers doesn’t mean applauding overtly wrong actions/behavior…it means treating them w/ respect and that means sometimes even when you feel it is undeserved…that said Romans 5:8 comes to mind…
My father would have been 93 on Dec 04, but he went home to glory in 1996 at age 77. Mom & Dad’s anniversary will be Dec 8th, this is a difficult month due to the family business that’s now gone by 50%. Having said that, our Mom is 86 & my kid sister & myself are taking care of her (overseeing that good nutrition gives me great joy)& hoping we don’t make the same mistakes we did w/ our Dad’s health because we were too young & naive to question his Dr. I’ve always said we get one chance to get it right w/ our parents..Kudos to you & your brother- that’s the only commandment that comes w/ a promise!
chris: This wasn’t written by me..it is from a daily devotional…but your sentiments per your parents an example to us all…
great article.
branwen: thks