Ephesians 6:2-3 "Honor thy father and mother; which is the first commandment with promise; That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth."
If you're a teenager reading this, remember this: How you treat your parents...one day that's how your children are going to treat you.
Ask yourself..."Am I the kind of child that I would want to raise?"
I was raised in a different generation. In my generation, you didn't get opportunities to TALK BACK to your parents.
We were too smart to talk back!
But we're living in a generation today that doesn't have any PARAMETERS on how they to talk to their mother or father. The attitude is, "I'll do it if I want to...and I won't do it if I don't want to."
Today, we've been inundated with psychologists who try to tell us how to TRAIN our children. However, The BIBLE is how we TRAIN our children!
The Scriptures teach us to use the ROD OF CORRECTION to drive out FOOLISHNESS from our child's heart. (Proverbs 22:15)
A major problem in American parenting today is that we let "little Johnny" and "little Susie" run the house with their bad attitude, rebellion and disrespect. Worse yet, some PARENTS are mostly to blame because they won't TAKE A STAND and they end up CATERING to their children instead of PARENTING their children.
A word of wisdom...YOU ARE NOT YOUR CHILD'S BEST FRIEND...YOU ARE THEIR PARENT!
The Bible gives us some STEARN WARNINGS for disrespecting our parents:
- Proverbs 30:17 "The eye that mocketh at his father, and despiseth to obey his mother, the ravens of the valley shall pick it out, and the young eagles shall eat it."
We are taught in the Scriptures to HONOR our parents. Truthfully, it doesn't matter if our parents are good parents or bad parents - we are taught to HONOR.
How do I honor my parents?
- Love them Unconditionally. Love them when they're young and when they're old. Love them when they have something to give you and when they have nothing to give you. We owe our very life to our parents.
- Be Affectionate. Never take for granted that your parents know you love them. Tell them and SHOW them. When is the last time that you hugged your parents?
- Be Understanding. Realize how much your parents do! They work hard, provide for you, chauffeur you around town, keep the peace, provide a place to live, buy you clothes, take care of you, etc. Be understanding when they come home from work and are tired. Your parents may not be able to tell you everything they're going through or have gone through during the day - so be understanding.
- Listen Attentively. When your parents are speaking to you, look them in the eye and pay attention. If you'll listen, you'll find solutions to your problems.
- Help Cheerfully. Your parents can't be paid for the work they do for you. Nothing can buy that kind of work. When your parents need help getting things done around the house, step up and help with a smile! Don't pout because your parents forget to say "thank you" to you. Believe me, they don't pout when you forget to say it. :)
- Remember Gratefully. Do something kind for your parents. Not just on their birthday or Mothers Day/Fathers Day. Do something, even if it's a candy bar, a phone call, etc. Remember this...your parents have given you the best years of your life. They have poured their life into you, teaching you, training you, etc., Remember them.
Parents...sometimes you may feel like you've done all you can do and don't know what else to do for your kids...REMEMBER this...YOU CAN STILL PRAY!
Prayer will change your children's lives! I still remember hearing my mother pray. I would stand outside her door and listen to her call my name out in prayer. She would pray the fire of heaven down upon me! Even if I was resistant...I couldn't stop her from PRAYING!
Parent's, let's be the example to our kids. Be FAITHFUL to church. Be FAITHFUL to your marriage. Be FAITHFUL to your job. Be FAITHFUL to the Word of God. Be FAITHFUL to prayer!
Also, remember to PRAY FOR YOUR PARENTS! They have prayed for you...so pray for them.
Nothing will bless your parents more than for them to see their children living out their faith, walking in the Word of God and modeling a Christ-like spirit. WOW...what a blessing!
I speak the Word of God over your household today! Be blessed as you take on the challenges and the rewards of parenting!
