Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right. Honour 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.
Ephesians 6:1-3
A child owes his parents obedience and honour. An adult child owes them honour. This word means ‘to prize, to fix a value on.’
As Father’s Day approaches, I want to say that I highly value Dad and Mum.
I grew up with parents who loved each other and were committed to each other. I remember many evening walks where the whole family would take a walk (sometimes we kids rode our bikes). As Dad and Mum walked together, hand in hand, they would discuss their day.
Each family meal would begin with Dad kissing Mum. Then we would all join hands while Dad offered a heartfelt prayer thanking the Lord for the dinner.
Many an evening they would tuck us children in bed, kiss us goodnight, tell us they loved us, and sing us a lullaby.
I knew they loved me because they made it a point to tell me often.
Mum would include a handwritten note in every lunch she packed, sharing a verse of Scripture or offering a word of wisdom.
But this love was not just expressed. It was lived out in action.
When a father goes to work day after day, to provide for his family, that is love in action. When a mother cooks, cleans, sews, and trains a boy’s character, that is love in action. When a father presses weights, plays basketball or goes running with his sons, that is love in action. When a mother rises in the middle of the night to comfort and medicate a sick child, that is love in action.
Since Titus 2:5 teaches mothers to be ‘keepers at home,’ they determined that Dad would be the sole breadwinner. Mum stayed home with us. Believing that ‘a child left to himself bringeth his mother to shame’ (Proverbs 29:15), they made financial sacrifices so that we would have a mother at home to train us. Sure, we didn’t drive late model cars. Sure, we shared bedrooms with brothers. Sure, our clothes were second-hand. But who cared? I had Mum at home!
Time won’t permit me to mention numerous beautiful memories. All the tickling, wrestling, reading as a family, camping, and playing games combine together to spell L-O-V-E.
They steered their children to grow up right in three vital ways.
- Faithfulness to all of the church services. They understood that being a New Testament Christian requires active church participation.
- Regular family devotions. Family devotions were like a short church service where we sang, discussed a Bible verse and prayed together.
- Christian education. It cost much to put us in Christian schools, or at other times to homeschool us, but putting us in public school with godless influences was not an option.
I owe my parents big-time!
They hold my respect and honour.
Thank You, Heavenly Father, for the upbringing my parents gave me. I highly value their example of love for each other, and love for their children. Strengthen Dads and Mums everywhere who are similarly rearing their children in a distinctively Christian atmosphere. Give us stronger homes in this apostate society. I pray in Jesus Name, Amen.