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Answer
Honoring your father and mother involves showing respect through both words and actions, as well as holding them in high regard. The Greek term for honor translates to “to revere, prize, and value.” Honor entails showing respect not just based on merit but also on their position. For instance, while some Americans may not agree with the decisions of the President, they should still honor his role as the leader of their nation. Similarly, children of all ages should show respect to their parents, regardless of whether they believe their parents have earned it.
God encourages us to honor our father and mother. He places such importance on honoring parents that it is included in the Ten Commandments «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) and reiterated in the New Testament: “Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. Honor your father and mother, which is the first commandment with a promise, so that it may be well with you, and that you may live long on the earth” (Ephesians 6:1-3). Honoring parents is the sole commandment in Scripture that guarantees long life as a reward. Those who honor their parents receive blessings (Jeremiah 35:18-19). Conversely, individuals with a “depraved mind” and those who display ungodliness in the last days are identified by their disobedience to parents (Romans 1:30;2 Timothy 3:2).
Solomon, renowned for his wisdom, urged children to honor their parents (Proverbs 1:8;Proverbs 13:1;Proverbs 30:17). Even though we may no longer beDirectly under their authority, we cannot outgrow God’s command to honor our parents. Even Jesus, God the Son, submitted Himself to both His earthly parents «And he went down with them, and came to Nazareth, and was subject unto them: but his mother kept all these sayings in her heart. », (Luke 2:51) and His heavenly Father «And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt. », (Matthew 26:39). Following Christ’s example, we should treat our parents the way we would reverentially approach our heavenly Father (Hebrews 12:9;Malachi 1:6).
Obviously, we are commanded to honor our parents, but how? Honor them with both actions and attitudes «He answered and said unto them, Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoureth me with their lips, But their heart is far from me. », (Mark 7:6). Honor their unspoken as well as spoken wishes. “A wise son heeds his father’s instruction, but a mocker does not listen to rebuke” «A wise son heareth his father’s instruction: But a scorner heareth not rebuke. », (Proverbs 13:1). In Matthew 15:3-9, Jesus reminded the Pharisees of the command of God to honor their father and mother. They were obeying the letter of the law, but they had added their own traditions that essentially overruled it. While they honored their parents in word, their actions proved their real motive. Honor is more than lip service. The word “honor” in this passage is a verb and, as such, demands a ri
Right action.
We should strive to honor our parents in a similar manner to how we aim to bring glory to God—in our thoughts, words, and actions. For a young child, obeying parents is closely linked to honoring them. This includes listening, heeding, and submitting to their authority. As children grow older, the obedience they acquired in childhood will benefit them in honoring other authorities such as government, police, and employers.
While honoring parents is mandatory, this does not involve emulating ungodly ones (Ezekiel 20:18-19). If a parent ever instructs a child to do something that clearly contradicts God’s commands, that child must obey God rather than his or her parents «Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men. », (Acts 5:29).
Honor begets honor. God will not honor those who refuse to obey His command to honor their parents. If we seek to please God and receive blessings, we should honor our parents. Honoring is not easy, not always enjoyable, and certainly not achievable in our own strength. However, honor is a definite path to our purpose in life—glorifying God. “Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord” «Children, obey your parents in all things: for this is well pleasing unto the Lord. », (Colossians 3:20).
