Ten Conversations: How to Live With Honor in Our Homes
You must not have any other god but Me
You must not make for yourself an idol
You must not misuse the name of the Lord your God
Remember to observe the Sabbath day by keeping it holy
Honor your father and mother
You must not murder
You must not commit adultery
You must not steal
You must not lie
You must not covet
Exodus 20:12 (NIV) Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you.
There are no conditions attached to this commandment.
What does it actually mean to honor our father and mother?
Honor — “to give weight.”
Dishonor — “light, common, and easily done away with, such as a vapor.”
How children can honor their parents:
1. A child displays honor by showing respect.
Proverbs 23:22 (NLT) Listen to your father, who gave you life, and don’t despise your mother when she is old.
Ephesians 6:1-3 (NLT) Children, obey your parents because you belong to the Lord, for this is the right thing to do. 2 “Honor your father and mother.” Thisis the first commandment with a promise: 3 If you honor your father and mother, “things will go well for you, and you will have a long life on the earth.”
2. A child displays honor by listening to their wisdom.
Proverbs 1:8 (NIV) Listen, my son, to your father’s instruction and do not forsake your mother’s teaching.
3. A child displays honor by expressing gratitude.
“Next to God, we owe our parents the highest honor, love, and gratitude.”
—Martin Luther
4. A child displays honor by giving grace.
“Before I got married, I had six theories about bringing up children; now I have six children and no theories.” —The Earl of Rochester
Colossians 3:12-14 (NLT) Since God chose you to be the holy people He loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. 13 Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. 14 Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony.
Mark 6:1-6 (NLT) Jesus…returned with His disciples to Nazareth, His hometown. 2 The next Sabbath He began teaching in the synagogue, and many who heard Him were amazed. They asked, “Where did He get all this wisdom and the power to perform such miracles?” 3 Then they scoffed, “He’s just a carpenter, the son of Mary and the brother of James, Joseph, Judas, and Simon. And His sisters live right here among us.” They were deeply offended and refused to believe in Him. 4 Then Jesus told them, “A prophet is honored everywhere except in His own hometown and among his relatives and his own family.” 5 And because of their unbelief, He couldn’t do any miracles among them except to place His hands on a few sick people and heal them. 6 And He was amazed at their unbelief.
How parents can honor their children:
1. A parent displays honor by seeing their children as a gift.
Psalm 127:3-5 (AMP) Behold, children are a heritage and a giftfrom the Lord, the fruit of the womb is a reward. 4 Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, so are the children of one’s youth. 5 How blessed [happy and fortunate] is the man whose quiver is filled with them…
2. A parent displays honor by being engaged.
“Rules without relationship lead to rebellion.”
3. A parent displays honor by setting boundaries.
Ephesians 6:4 (NIV) Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.
4. A parent displays honor by giving them a place to belong.
5. A parent displays honor by modeling it.
“Train up a child in the way he should go, but be sure you go that way yourself.”
—Charles Spurgeon
2 Timothy 1:5 (NIV) I am reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also.
6. A parent displays honor by being consistent.
1 Corinthians 15:58 (NIV) Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.
Malachi 4:5-6 (NIV) See, I will send the prophet Elijah to you before that great and dreadful day of the Lord comes. 6 He will turn the hearts of the parents to their children, and the hearts of the children to their parents; or else I will come and strike the land with total destruction [curse].