Spring Warrior Church of Christ

7432 S. Red Padgett Road

Perry, FL 32348
584-5176

WHAT wOULD JESUS dO? No. 19

JESUS WOULD HONOR HIS PARENTS BY JEFF HIMMEL

The fifth of God’s “Ten Commandments” to ancient Israel was, “Honor

your father and your mother…” (Exodus 20:12). They were to “reverence”
(literally “fear”) their parents, holding them in the highest esteem and value
(Leviticus 19:3). We’re mistaken if we think such commandments are just for
young children. There’s something here for everyone. Let me suggest three
ways to honor our fathers and mothers:

1. Young people, honor them by respecting their authority.

“Children, be obedient to your parents in all things, for this is well-pleasing to
the Lord” (Colossians 3:20). I know this isn’t always easy. You don’t always
see the reason for their rules and limits. A three-year-old may not see the
harm in playing in the middle of the street, and a teenager may not see the
harm in going to an unsupervised party. But mom and dad have a good
reason for saying no. I know they seem hopelessly out of touch with reality at
times. But actually, they’ve seen a lot more of reality than you have. So they
know what they’re talking about. Listen to them.

Honoring your parents goes beyond abiding by their rules. Many kids
obey their parents but still show contempt for them. They talk disrespectfully
to them and talk disrespectfully about them. God instructed Israel, “He who
curses his father or his mother shall surely be put to death” (Exodus 21:17).
Just as one who reveres God will not speak His name lightly (see Exodus
20:7), one who reveres his parents will always show respect for them.

2. Adults, honor them by living as they taught you. The good

news about your out-of-touch parents is that they don’t stay that way for
long. The older you get, the smarter they appear. The more you take
responsibility for your own life, the more you see the wisdom of their
instruction.

The apostle Paul calls the fifth commandment “the first commandment
with a promise: that it may be well with you, and that you may live long on
the earth” (Ephesians 6:2, 3). Our parents’ instruction and discipline equips
us to succeed as adults. “A wise son makes a father glad, but a foolish son is
a grief to his mother” (Proverbs 10:1).

Solomon wrote, “My son, do not forget my teaching, but let your heart
keep my commandments; for length of days and years of life, and peace
they will add to you” (Proverbs 3:1-2). Were these words directed to his son
Rehoboam? If so, we should take note. When Rehoboam became king, he lost
most of his kingdom by rejecting the counsel of his father’s advisors (1 Kings
12:1-16). Worse, he turned away from Solomon’s righteous advice, dragging
his nation quickly into spiritual darkness. The price of ignoring our parents’
wisdom is high.

3. Honor them in their later years. “A gray head is a crown of glory;

it is found in the way of righteousness” (Proverbs 16:31). God teaches
respect for the aged, and that should certainly apply to our own parents. In a
culture where many people cast aside the elderly as useless, this is a much-
needed lesson. Jesus shows that the command to honor our parents has no
time limits.

Some rabbis in Jesus’ day had a creative way to avoid helping one’s
aged parents. They taught that a person could take the money he would
have used to help his parents and instead donate it as a gift to God (i.e., put
it in the temple treasury). By giving the money to a higher cause, he was
freed from his obligation to his parents. But Jesus denounced this “loophole”
as a direct violation of God’s law. Here is His verdict:

God said, ‘Honor your father and mother’…But you say,

‘Whoever says to his father or mother, “Whatever I have that
would help you has been given to God,” he is not to honor his
father or his mother.’ And by this you invalidated the word of God
for the sake of your tradition (Matthew 15:4-6).

Jesus practiced what He preached. Even as He was dying, He placed His own
mother in the care of a trusted and beloved disciple (John 19:26-27).

We owe our parents a debt of honor for what they have contributed to
our lives. Paul emphasizes this in his instructions concerning widows: “But if
any widow has children or grandchildren, let them first learn to practice piety
in regard to their own family, and to make some return to their parents; for
this is acceptable in the sight of God” (1 Timothy 5:4). He adds, “But if
anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his
household, he has denied the faith, and is worse than an unbeliever” (verse
8).

Do your parents know how much you honor them?

This article is reprinted online at http://www.bibleweb.com.