Are You Obeying Your Parents?

I am sure that you all know the Fifth Commandment: “Honour thy father and thy mother that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.”

But do you know what it means to “honour” your father and mother? The Bible says, “Children obey your parents,” and this is part of honoring them. Remember that God expects this from you, so that when you are dis-obedient to your parents, you are at the same time sinning against God. You do not obey your parents because they are older than you or bigger than you, but because God commands you to do it.

If you are to honor your parents as you should, you must beware of doing anything that makes them sad. Think of how sad your parents would be to hear that you were badly behaved in school, or if you were disobedient to grown-ups, or if you used bad language when playing. If you really love your parents, you would not want to do anything to make them sad, would you? One of the best ways of showing that you love your father and your mother is by obeying them. Always remember that they know what is best for you. Therefore, listen carefully when they are teaching you what is right and the difference between right and wrong. Remember that your parents do not see you all the time, but God does, and He is angry when you are doing anything wrong especially if you know and have been taught it is wrong.

It is part of God’s plan for man that people should live in families. So you see God gave you parents to look after you. This does not just simply mean that they provide you with a comfortable home, food and clothes. It also means that they are to train you; that is, teach you and show you what is right and wrong before you are old enough to know for yourself. “Train up a child in the way he should go,” is how the Bible speaks of this. Notice the Bible says, “in the way he should go.” Not the way he or she wants to go or prefers to go. A young child might want to eat as many sweets as he can, but his mother knows that this is not good for him, so she must stop him. An older child might want to sit up late, but his mother knows he needs his sleep if he is not going to be sleepy and tired the next day in school, so she must see that he goes to bed when he should. These are only two simple examples of how parents must train their children, and of how children must obey.

Now there are times when children will not obey as they ought, or when they will do something that their parents have forbidden them to do, or have not done something that their parents have asked them to do. At such times children must be punished. “The rod and reproof give wisdom: but a child left to himself bringeth his mother to shame.” So the Bible teaches. Parents have a God-given right to punish their children. Do remember, children, that your parents are doing their duty which God requires of them when they punish you. “He that spareth his rod hateth his son: but he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes.” It is a sign that your parents love you and seek your highest good when they punish you, though you may not think so at the time.

One thing you should bear in mind is that it is important how you obey your parents. Do you now sometimes sulk when you are forbidden to do something? Do you not go very grudgingly sometimes when called away from playing to do some errand for your parents? They may not see this, but God does, for He sees your hearts and knows your thoughts at such times. Surely if you love your parents, you should help them in every way you can. If you think of all they have done and are doing for you, surely you should obey them lovingly and willingly.

“Children obey your parents in all things,” is what the Bible says. Do you do this? Do you always do what you are told, the first time? It is very dishonoring to your parents to argue with them when they have asked you to do something or forbidden you something you want.

A well-behaved child honors his father and mother in this way, that people will think well of parents when they see their children well-behaved and obedient. Of course it is just as true that people will think badly of parents when they see their children badly-behaved, disobedient and ill-mannered. Did you ever think of this? Does it matter to you what people think of your parents? If not you do not honor them, and you are therefore breaking the Fifth Commandment.

The best way you can keep this commandment is to remember the truth quoted already: “Children obey your parents in all things”; and look at the reason the Apostle gives, “for this is well-pleasing to the Lord.”

M.A.

Deze tekst is geautomatiseerd gemaakt en kan nog fouten bevatten. Digibron werkt voortdurend aan correctie. Klik voor het origineel door naar de pdf. Voor opmerkingen, vragen, informatie: contact.

Op Digibron -en alle daarin opgenomen content- is het databankrecht van toepassing. Gebruiksvoorwaarden. Data protection law applies to Digibron and the content of this database. Terms of use.

Printen