“Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you.” Exodus 20:12
Whether we grew up in loving Christian homes, were left to raise ourselves as our parents pursued their own idolatry, or experienced something in between, this week’s commandment tells us to honor our parents. This may look very different depending on our circumstances. What is constant is that we have been called by a loving, perfect Father to honor roles he created and intended for good, despite the sin that often mars such a good creation. We therefore honor our parents for God’s sake, not our own and not our parents’. We do this based on who he is, not based on who our parents may or may not have been. So, we can all obey this commandment joyfully, because he is good!
Questions
- What examples of honoring one’s parents have encouraged you most?
- What makes it most difficult for you to honor your parents? How will you worship God by doing this well?
- If your parents are actively sinning against you, in what ways can you still honor them?
- If you are a parent, how can you encourage your children to do this in a way that causes your children to worship God and not you?
- How can you cultivate an atmosphere of honor toward elders in general in your home, group, and church?
Pray
Jesus, you are our ultimate example of honor toward our parents. Thank you for obeying our Father and going to the cross for us. Remind us every day that you are good, and because you are good we can honor fearlessly. Help us to create climates of honor in our behavior and hearts so that we can encourage children in our lives to honor freely and well. We repent of disobedience in not honoring when we should have. Give us hearts that desire to worship you by honoring others above ourselves. Amen.
This devotion is adapted from the Ten Commandments Study Guide.
