“I need to go … you don’t know how much it means to me … dad, you never seem to understand!” Remember saying that to your father when you badly wanted to attend a particular show or when you wanted to stay overnight at your friend’s place or when you needed that extra money.
Plan B is trying to convince your mother, but she just shakes her head, indicating a ‘don’t ask me’ sign. You end up so angry and irritated against your parents, you tell yourself “they will never understand, after all they belong to another generation, they are just OUTDATED!” And then something happens. There is this huge gap that comes between you and your parents. There is no proper communication. You just don’t enjoy staying at home anymore. I would like to ask you this question. As a young Christian, do you treat your parents the way you ought to, or are they just your ATMs, providing money when you need it?
Well, I have to tell you that parents are worth much more than that. Let us see why we need to honor our parents.
1. It is a command of the Lord Honor your father and mother…” (Ex.20:12, NIV). Honouring parents is a command from the Lord, It is not a choice and it’s applicable to whatever cultural background you belong to.
2. It pleases the Lord“Children, obey your parents in all things: for this is well pleasing unto the Lord, (Col 3:20 KJV)”. So if you want to please the Lord, I just told you a secret. We as young Christians should be serious about this.
3. They make the rules Due to the heavy western influence these days, we think “Its my life!” and I don’t need anyone making rules for me. I have to tell you as long as your dad provides you food he makes the rules. We as Christians need to learn to submit to parental authority.
4. There is a blessing This is the best part. There is only one command, in the ‘Ten Commandments’, which has a blessing attached to it. “And this is the promise: If you honor your father and mother, “you will live a long life, full of blessing. (Eph 6:3 NLT).” You might be wondering what has been stopping your blessing. Examine your relationship with your parents.
5. What goes around, comes around Couple of years from now, probably you are going to have a family of your own. Don’t be surprised if your child does not treat you with respect, if you don’t treat your parents properly. What goes around comes around. It’s a fundamental rule. “Don’t be misled. Remember that you can’t ignore God and get away with it. You will always reap what you sow! (Gal 6:7 NLT)”
6. It’s a powerful testimony Finally in an age where children don’t give much consideration to their parents, honoring your parents can be one of the most powerful testimonies. I can guarantee that your friends will notice this and will be drawn to the Savior.
Well we just heard what we are supposed to do. I want to go one step ahead and say that your parents can be your best friends! You might be thinking, hey! that’s a little too much. Well you need to know that your parents love you and they have taken a lot of pains bringing you up this far. Just think about the many things, big and small, they have done for you, without expecting anything back. They’ve always wanted the best for you. Maybe today, your change in attitude towards them, can make things so much easier for them and for you. As one among you, I need to tell you my parents have been my best friends for years and it’s so much fun being around them. Life, both at home and outside, can be so much more exciting and full when you are at peace with your parents. Trust me. Today make a decision to love and honor your parents. Ask the Lord to help you do that. Let your home be heaven on earth. So go ahead and tell them, “Dad & Mom, I love you!”
Author: Mr. Cherian George is an engineer by profession. His passion is for the youth and ministries mainly through music with the intention of bridging the generation gap.
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