Obey Your Parents (Ephesians 6:1-4)

Ephesians 6:1 Children, obey your parents [in the Lord], for this is right. 

As is part of the Ten Commandments, children are to honor and obey their parents. BUT this also means parents are called to teach their children the way to obey. We are to teach our children how to obey us, even when they don’t want to, so that they will understand how to obey God even if they don’t understand or don’t want to. We are to teach them responsibility, time management, etc. We are also to teach them about who God is. This is not a responsibility of a school, youth program, or church organization. This is our responsibility. If our children do not see us obeying and following God’s laws, why should they? Jesus obeyed his earthly parents even though he was the son of God.

It isn’t always easy. Sometimes parents aren’t good leaders. Sometimes they aren’t good followers of God’s word. It’s far too easy to break a child than it is to raise one right. It’s far to easy to yell instead of correct. This leads for a hard childhood and turns into someone who doesn’t want to follow God, because where was he? But God was always there. Holding and protecting us, even if we didn’t realize. As an adult, it may be hard to forgive the wrongs our parents have done. But we need to understand that they may not have been taught correctly either. And it is up to us to break the cycle or wrongdoings. 

Lord, I pray that I can better prepare my children for you. I pray I can show them the right way to follow you. That it is much better to follow you than the world.