Week 8 | Thursday
Thursday
Written by Carla Hughes (Lithopolis Campus)
Ephesians 6:1
“Children, obey your parents because you belong to the Lord, for this is the right thing to do.”
I remember the day when my five-year-old daughter climbed to the top rung of the swing set and stood there. I had turned my attention from her for a few minutes, and in that time, she quickly ignored my instruction to stay on the ground and climbed as high as she could. I was eight months pregnant and knew I could not climb there to get her. My heart froze. I had to calmly and clearly coach her on how to come down from there safely. In her mind, my rule to stay on the ground was restricting her play and holding her back. The word “no” only made her desire to pursue that height more purposefully. And yet my no was given to protect her and teach about the importance of boundaries.
Our culture celebrates rebellion against authority, especially parents. And yet the primary responsibility God gives to children is a single command: obey your parents. The word “obey” in scripture literally means “to hear under.” This is a call to not only hear with the ears but to take it to heart and put it into action. Parents are the child’s first encounter with authority. If a child does not learn to respect authority in the home, how much harder will it be for them to respect authority outside of the home (bosses, leaders, etc..) and ultimately how much harder for them to respect and submit to the ultimate authority of God in their life? God is so good to set up the family design to help us learn as children the importance of respect for authority. And this command is the first one with a promise: “If you honor your father and mother things will go well for you, and you will have a long life on the earth.” (Ephesians 6: 3).
The original Greek word for honor is tima. And the meaning is to esteem, value, or prize. This means a level of deep recognition of parents’ position, guidance, and authority in our lives. In the same way, we are to place God as the ultimate authority in our lives. And God gives instructions to parents: “Fathers do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.” (Ephesians 6:4); “Train up a child in the way he should go…..” (Proverbs 22:6). In His wisdom God leads and gives instruction to both children and parents.
When we, as followers of Jesus, show respect to our parents (in all stages of our lives), we will stand out in this world. Our words, our interactions, our serving, and care for parents will look very different. When we, as followers of Jesus, parent our children according to God’s plan we will also stand out. Our words, our interactions, our discipline, our priorities, and our care of our children will look very different. And when people ask why, we can point them to Jesus.
Obedience and respect are foundational in our relationship with God and in our families.
Reflection Questions:
- How do you see obedience, from a worldly or biblical perspective? What has shaped that perspective?
- How are you respecting your parents? What needs to change in that relationship?
- How are you leading and disciplining your children? What needs to change?
Prayer Prompt:
“God, thank you for your design of family, which points us ultimately to you, the ultimate authority in my life. Please show me how to respect my parents and raise my children in a way that honors you and points them to you. Empower me through your Holy Spirit.”