“I am a child of God, and He has sent me here.
“Has given me an earthly home, with parents kind and dear.”
I was a child in my church’s primary singing this song when I thought “if my parents are kind, why do mine fight and scream so much?”
Not everyone comes from a home with a patient father and an affectionate mother. But we don’t want to misunderstand what the Lord means when he gave us the first commandment with a promise:
“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.” (Ephesians 6:2-3)
Honor doesn’t necessarily mean to blindly obey or ignore their flaws. The the Biblical sense, to honor means to show respect, gratitude, and love towards them.
For you, this might mean actively listening to your parents’ advice and considering their perspective. For others, it might mean setting boundaries and communicating openly about their feelings.
Regardless of the specific actions, honoring our parents ultimately brings blessings into our lives. It may not always be easy, but it is worth striving for in order to live a life that is well and fulfilling.
Here are the Bible verses which explain part of the ten commandments: “Honor your father and mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you.” (Exodus 20:12) for you to reflect on as you strive to honor your father and mother:
Honor Your Father And Mother Bible Verse & Lesson
The verses discussing the fifth commandment come from the King James version of the Bible (both Old Testament and New Testament).
– Colossians 3:20-21 – “Children, obey your parents in all things: for this is well pleasing unto the Lord. Fathers, provoke not your children to anger, lest they be discouraged.”
– Deuteronomy 5:16 – “Honor your father and your mother, as the Lord your God has commanded you, so that you may live long and that it may go well with you in the land the Lord your God is giving you.”
– Ephesians 6:1-4 – “Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. Honor your father and mother (this is the first commandment with a promise), that it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land. Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.”
– Exodus 20:5 – “Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me.”
– Exodus 20:12 – “Honor thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.”
– Exodus 20:12 (American Standard Version): “Honor thy father and thy mother, that thy days may be long in the land which Jehovah thy God giveth thee.”
– Exodus 21:17 – “And he that curseth his father, or his mother, shall surely be put to death.”
– Genesis 3:16 – “Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee.”
– John 19:25-27 – “Now there stood by the cross of Jesus his mother, and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Cleophas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the disciple standing by, whom he loved, he saith unto his mother, Woman, behold thy son! Then saith he to the disciple, Behold thy mother! And from that hour that disciple took her unto his own home.”
– Luke 14:26 – “If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.”
– Luke 18:20 – “Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Honor thy father and thy mother.”
– Matthew 15:4 – “For God commanded, saying, Honor thy father and mother: and, He that curseth father or mother, let him die the death.”
– Matthew 19:19 – “Honor thy father and thy mother: and, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.”
– Matthew 19:29 – “And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name’s sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life.”
– Proverbs 1:8-9 – “Listen, my son, to your father’s instruction and do not forsake your mother’s teaching. They are a garland to grace your head and a chain to adorn your neck.”
– Proverbs 17:25 – “A foolish son is a grief to his father, And bitterness to her that bare him.”
– Proverbs 17:6 – “Children’s children (grandchildren) are the crown of old men; and the glory of children are their fathers.”
– Proverbs 19:26 – “He that wasteth his father, and chaseth away his mother, is a son that causeth shame, and bringeth reproach.”
– Proverbs 20:20 – “Whoso curseth his father or his mother, his lamp shall be put out in obscure darkness. “
– Proverbs 23:22 – “Listen to your father who gave you life, and do not despise your mother when she is old.”
– 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.”
– Romans 3:23 – “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.”
– 1 Timothy 5:4 – “But if any widow have children or nephews, let them learn first to shew piety at home, and to requite their parents: for that is good and acceptable before God.”
– 1 Timothy 5:8 – “But if anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for members of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.”
Even though my childhood home was full of hot tempers with their authoritarian parenting style, my faith upbringing has taught me to respect and honor my parents. I know they’re not perfect, but they gave me a roof over my head and food in my stomach.
I’m grateful for the gospel of Jesus Christ and his grace because I learned some adults never experienced a loving home, and they didn’t have the resources to learn how to brake the cycle of anger, hurt, contention themselves.
Because I know better, it’s my responsibility to care for my parents in their old age in a healthy manner that honors them as God would have me do.
Free Bible Lesson To Teach This Principle
This Bible study lesson will be perfect for your primary or Sunday school class. Please feel free to make any changes to meet the needs of your students.
Lesson Title: Honor Your Parents
Introduction
Welcome to today’s Bible lesson! Today, we will be talking about one of the Ten Commandments – “Honor your father and mother.” This commandment is not just for children, but it applies to all of us. No matter what age we are, God wants us to show respect and love for our parents.
Bible Verse
Let’s start by reading Proverbs 23:22, “Listen to your father who gave you life, and do not despise your mother when she is old.” This verse reminds us that our parents are a gift from God. They have given us life, and we should listen to them and show them love and respect, especially as they grow older.
Discussion
- What does it mean to honor your parents?
- Why do you think God wants us to honor our parents?
- Can you think of any examples of how we can show honor and respect to our parents? To other authority figures?
- How do you think our relationship with God is connected to the way we treat our parents?
Activity
Let’s practice showing honor to our parents by making a list of things we can do for them or ways we can show them love. You can also share some ideas with the class if you’d like.
For younger kids have them draw a picture of something they can do for their parents
Closing Prayer
Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for giving us the gift of parents. Help us to always remember to be kind to them and listen to them as they listen to Jesus. We pray that you would bless our relationships with our parents and help us to show them love in all that we do. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Final Thoughts
Remember, some adult children and kids coming from broken families or have strained relationships with their parents, might find it challenging to honor their parents. However, as followers of Christ, we are called to love and respect our parents.
The blessing we each have is the opportunity to pray and be guided by the Holy Spirit to know how this might look for each one of us. Some of us might have a closer relationship with their family members. Others might need to set boundaries in a respectful manner.
We can also honor our parents by sharing the love of Jesus with them and showing them kindness and compassion, just as He has shown us.
But ultimately, honoring our parents is not about following rules or trying to be perfect children. It’s about having a heart that desires to please God and reflecting His love towards our parents.
Let’s do everything we can to show honor and respect to our parents, as it pleases God and brings blessings into our lives.
Micah Klug is a wife, homeschooling mother to five children, and author. She teaches time-tested solutions to help parents remember what matters most in life, including strengthening their home, faith, and family relationships. To learn how a child who grew up in an authoritarian home is now creating an environment of peace and joy in her own home visit this page. If you want to contact Micah, send her an email here or email [email protected].
