The Fifth Commandment - Part 2

I had planned on moving on to the sixth commandment today, but I think I’d like to linger here, on the fifth commandment (Honor your father and your mother) for just one more day.

The command to honor our parents is written for all of us. It is an encouragement to all children to respect their parents. But, there is an implied instruction for the parents, too. As parents, we need to live our lives in a way that is worthy of the honor given.

In other words, we are the model that our children learn from. The reason our children are told to honor us is because it is assumed that we will be teaching them godly things. Parenting determines our future. It is through the family that a culture rises up to great heights or lowers itself to ugly depths.

Our children learn life through us. Is prayer important to you? Your children will likely want to learn to pray. Is church a vital part of your life? Your children will likely learn to love it as well. Do you read the Bible every day? Your children see you with God’s Word and will desire it.

It is you who your children are watching. They will learn from what they see. Teach them to give glory to God and you will be blessed by the way they honor you. Teach them to ignore God, and they will fall away. Pray for them and teach them the Word. It will stay with them forever.

Deuteronomy 6:6-7

“These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up.”