Honor Your Parents
Children, obey your parents as the Lord wants, because this is the right thing to do. The command says, "Honor your father and mother. This is the first command that has a promise with it - "Then everything will be well with you, and you will have a long life on the earth." -Ephesians 6:1-3 NCV
What does it mean to honor your parents? We can see if we will look at the word honor in the Scriptures. In Hebrew, the word for "honor" is kabed. This word literally means, "to be heavy, weighty, to honor." Even today, we still link the idea of being heavy with honoring a person.
When the President of the United States or some others important person speaks, people often say that his words "carry a lot of weight." Someone whose words are weighty is someone worthy of honor and respect. However, we can learn even more about what it means to honor someone by looking at its opposite in Scriptures.
. . . (T)he literal meaning of the word curse (qalal) was "to make light, of little weight, to dishonor." If we go back to our example above, if we dishonor a person we would say, "Their words carry little weight." The contrast is striking!
When Paul tells us to honor our parents, he is telling us that they are worthy of high value and respect. In modern-day terms, we could call them a heavyweight in our lives! Just the opposite is true if we choose to dishonor our parents.
Some people treat their parents as if they are a layer of dust on a table. Dust weighs almost nothing and can be swept away with a brush of the hand. Dust is a nuisance and an eye-sore that clouds any real beauty the table might have. Paul tells us that such an attitude should not be a part of how any child views his or her parents, and for good reason. If we fail to honor our parents, we not only do what is wrong and dishonor God, but we also literally drain ourselves of life!
-From The Gift of the Blessing by Gary Smalley and John Trent; part of The Inspirational Study Bible: New Century Version by Max Lucado
My child, listen to your father's teaching and do not forget your mother's advice. -Proverbs 1:8
My son, keep your father's commands, and don't forget your mother's teaching. -Proverbs 6:20
Children, obey your parents in all things, because this pleases the Lord. -Colossians 3:20
What does it mean to honor your parents? We can see if we will look at the word honor in the Scriptures. In Hebrew, the word for "honor" is kabed. This word literally means, "to be heavy, weighty, to honor." Even today, we still link the idea of being heavy with honoring a person.
When the President of the United States or some others important person speaks, people often say that his words "carry a lot of weight." Someone whose words are weighty is someone worthy of honor and respect. However, we can learn even more about what it means to honor someone by looking at its opposite in Scriptures.
. . . (T)he literal meaning of the word curse (qalal) was "to make light, of little weight, to dishonor." If we go back to our example above, if we dishonor a person we would say, "Their words carry little weight." The contrast is striking!
When Paul tells us to honor our parents, he is telling us that they are worthy of high value and respect. In modern-day terms, we could call them a heavyweight in our lives! Just the opposite is true if we choose to dishonor our parents.
Some people treat their parents as if they are a layer of dust on a table. Dust weighs almost nothing and can be swept away with a brush of the hand. Dust is a nuisance and an eye-sore that clouds any real beauty the table might have. Paul tells us that such an attitude should not be a part of how any child views his or her parents, and for good reason. If we fail to honor our parents, we not only do what is wrong and dishonor God, but we also literally drain ourselves of life!
-From The Gift of the Blessing by Gary Smalley and John Trent; part of The Inspirational Study Bible: New Century Version by Max Lucado
My child, listen to your father's teaching and do not forget your mother's advice. -Proverbs 1:8
My son, keep your father's commands, and don't forget your mother's teaching. -Proverbs 6:20
Children, obey your parents in all things, because this pleases the Lord. -Colossians 3:20
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