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PRACTICAL STEPS TO HONOR YOUR PARENTS

by - October 11, 2019


GODLY RELATIONSHIPS: PART ONE: CHILDREN AND PARENTS.
Photo credits: Eye for Ebony on Unsplash
My heart breaks at how much today relationships have become a 
source of discontent and pain in our lives instead of bringing joy and a sense of belonging as they should. People are left to run to and cling at every voice of advice that is out there on what they can do to achieve a happy relationship.

Truth is no real lasting advice can ever be found in the world.

God has demonstrated and taught us His sovereign plan for real relationships by inviting all people to have a personal relationship with Him. This is the hallmark of our Christian faith. In response to this revelation we are to live with all those in our lives with the same love He, the Lord himself has demonstrated to us in His son Jesus Christ.
Why is this important? Because God intends for our relationships to be healthy; fulfilling and those that bring joy into our lives be it with our parents, spouses, relatives or neighbours. The common denominator for these relationships working in your life is God.  However the first step towards achieving the fullness that God has for your life concerning relationships is having one with Him. The only way to be in a relationship with the Father is through His son Jesus Christ. For Jesus is the foundation upon which ALL godly relationships are built.If you have never believed in and accepted Jesus Christ in your life, this is a good place to start. Don't wait to do it later now is the time to invite Him into your life,if you feel convicted to take this step.
This series intends to explore the practical ways you can live in godly relationships with your parents, marriage partner, brothers and neighbours.
PRACTICAL STEPS TO HONOR YOUR PARENTS.

This is the first of a series of posts I am going to write on having Godly relationships.

If you are like me you probably have heard several times the command from God for children to honor their parents. Growing up, church was mandatory. Attending Sunday school was something you had to do and not a choice to make. It’s at these Sunday school lessons that the importance of this command was stressed and we knew if you did not obey your parents then you were a bad kid.As we get older though we get to a point where this commandment doesn’t resonate with us anymore and we either feel we have outgrown it or just forgotten because of the issues of life.

The commandment to honor parents is the one command whose effects resulting from obedience or disobedience always readily reflect in the life of a child.  This is because it is conditional and also due to the nature of law. Where there is law there is also punishment. God says “Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.” Exodus 20:12 KJV.  

Paul reminds us again in Ephesians 6:1-3 “Children, obey your 
parents in the Lord: for this is right. Honour thy father and mother; which is the first commandment with promise; That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth.”

If you do not obey your parents, your life becomes a short one filled with struggle and difficulty. Not because you are cursed but just because these are the consequences that follow. It’s the punishment governing this law.

I therefore today want to refresh our memories on the importance of walking in obedience to God concerning our parents. To gain more perspective I did some research and also asked some parents in what ways would they feel their children are honoring them.

Here are some practical things you can do to ensure you are honoring your parents:
  1.  Being Responsible-obedience is great but exercising responsibility by making wise choices without being told is even better. Parents want to see their children excel and be the very best they can be. Being responsible trains them to be self-reliant, good managers of resources and so forth.
  2.  Learning and becoming better than your parents. Parents feel honored when their children succeed and have a great future even more than what they had. So if they motivate you to do better honor them by trying your best.
  3. Have good morals- Honor your parents by being an upstanding member of the society. Display good character wherever you are in the society. Parents feel dishonored when their children become dishonest, selfish, inconsiderate, disrespectful or lying people. It brings shame to them.
  4.  Show gratitude  – parents appreciate when the children recognize their efforts to educate them and generally just provide and care for them. Saying thank you and I love you goes a long way to show this and warms their hearts.
  5.  Honor God-Honor your parents by honoring God. Live a godly life.
  6. Respect them- This has to be in words and action. Does how you treat your parents show you respect them? How you speak to them; do you talk back, do you use harsh words etc.
  7.  Be Obedient  – This has a lot to do with honoring the parents. Obedience is about submission to recognized authority. In the life of a child the first authority she/he encounters is that from the parents therefore obedience to them becomes a default and not something to think about. That is how it should be. The way to obey your parents is simply by doing what they have told you to do. Godly parents will never tell you to do something that dishonors God because they receive their authority from God.
  8.  Listen to their advice – another way to honor your parents is to show that you value them; listen/ask for their advice on life’s issues after all they are more experienced and have wisdom and grace given by God to raise you.How many of us today would rather follow advice from influencers and celebrities than our own parents. 
  9. Accept correction- Parents feel honored when their children are teachable. Be willing to learn when you are corrected by your parent. Don't always assume you know better.
  10. Offer help when in need- Provide for their basic needs or where they need support financially, emotionally or even psychologically. Do not be enjoying, feasting, and living luxuriously while they are barely surviving. God detests this and will not receive offering from a person that neglects the parents. If still living with your parents the way to help is in chores and other errands around the house.
  11. Model your parent’s values they taught you. Walk in the right ways they showed you such as in how to treat older people (showing respect even when they are strangers), how to dress, how to act etc.
Lastly I want to say that I know there are some that haven’t grown up in homes with a positive, nurturing and wholesome environment and therefore have a hard time relating to their parents. Others have even had to endure all kinds of parental abuse and therefore their love for the parents has grown cold. This kind of pain and childhood trauma can seem impossible to overcome but the good news is that God is well able to heal and restore completely if you allow Him. If you have had problems relating with your parents and are asking how you can even start to honor them, do not be discouraged. 

Here are suggestions on where you can begin;

  1.  Pray for your parents; that they may come to know the Lord. Make it your burden to intercede for them that God will change their hearts and save them. They may be difficult to relate with but they are still your parents and therefore you don't get a free pass to not honor them.
  2. Forgive them; if you have carried them in your heart because of something you feel they let you down on it’s time to release them and ask God sincerely to help you overcome the hurting. Only God can truly help, you have to be willing and desire to forgive.
  3. Always help and support them in their areas of need. Even though you may not feel like doing it.
  4. Model Jesus for them; since you know Christ, live your life in a way that reflects Jesus. Be an example to them of what knowing God is.
  5. Respect them no matter what. They are still your elders. That means exercising restraint and self-control in front of them.


        What are some of the ways in which you honor your parents? Tell us in the comments below. Like and share with a friend.👇
L     
        Love muchly,
        Liz.😍😍


Lo

L




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