Being generous with our honor: Honor your parents: the command is good, because God is good, and the command is a good gift, from a good God, to do good, for those who love Him. Exodus 20:12; Ephesians 6:2-3; Luke 2:51-52
There may be no more difficult teaching in all of scripture than this - as we have parents and no two stories are alike. No matter what is said here, someone, if not everyone, will have an exception “But, you don’t know my parents… my father… my mother.” Well no, I don’t. But I do know God and His ability and desire to love, forgive, heal, and bless. To “work ALL THINGS out for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose…” And that is to “conform us to the likeness of His Son” promising to use even the most difficult of circumstances, the most painful of sufferings, the most disappointing of experiences, the weightiest of relationships - to do so.
So, though our stories are not the same, and neither can they be, there will always be similarities, as not one of us has had perfect parents, not one. And we have all, to some degree, suffered under their hands. Hebrews 12:7-11
What we can’t do today is fix everything, but God, our heavenly Father can… What we can’t do today is address every issue, hurt, wound, abuse, or neglect. What we can’t do today is analyze every feeling and experience. What we might find is that some of us may need more help from professionals who can gently and wisely guide us through a process of confession and healing.
The truth is God knows, cares, and desires to lovingly conform us to the likeness of His Son…
But what we can do is look at God and His word and lay a foundation for healing. To learn to love, honor, and respect. To learn to forgive. To have our own time of honest self-appraisal, and learn to extend mercy and grace - as it has been extended to us.
The Holy Spirit knows and is present in you and is here to comfort us according to our need…
John 14:16; 16:7,13 15If you love me, keep my commands. 16And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another comforter, helper, advocate, to help you and be with you forever— 17the Spirit of truth.
It is in trusting our heavenly Father, our Abba, and His truth, where true healing can begin; where the potential for appreciation emerges; where reconciliation and restoration become possible; and where the true hope and grace of agape - wanting God’s love’s best for others rises - whether from (our being) close beside, or from a safe distance.
And here is why we must go to God’s word: because it speaks perfectly to every one of us, personally, regardless of our differences. I can’t know the ins and outs of your story, but God can, and does, and will speak right to it, if we’ll listen:
Hebrews 4:11-12 “12For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. 13Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight.”
Being generous with our honor: Honor your mother and father: honoring imperfect parents: Jesus the perfect one, honored His Father, by honoring His parents – obeying the command, Jesus made Himself obedient to His imperfect parents, and in doing so, He grew, and pleased His Father. Luke 2:41-52; Hebrews 2:10-18
