Honoring Parents

Honoring Parents

Listen to your father, who gave you life, and don’t despise your mother when she is old.

Proverbs 23:22

HOW DO YOU HONOR your parents after you are married, without allowing them to control you? The Lord has never rescinded his command to honor your parents (see Exodus 20:12). As long as they live, it is right to honor them. Some people find this easy because their parents are honorable and don’t seek to control their lives. For others, this command is difficult.

One wife said, “How can I honor my mother when she made such a mess of her life and now seeks to make life miserable for me and my family?” The word honor means “to show respect.” Sometimes we do not respect the lifestyle of our parents or in-laws, but we must respect their position. In the providence of God, they gave us life. For that we respect them. They are our parents, so we treat them kindly. We do what we can to help them, but we do not allow them to control our lives by intimidation or fear. Proverbs 23:22 suggests two more applications of honoring parents—first, listening to them; and second, caring for them, not despising them, when they are old. These go along with basic respect.

Honor does not mean that you must do everything that your parents request. Honor is seeking to do what is best for them.

Father, please help me to show appropriate honor to my parents. Guide me as I seek to treat them as you want me to—with love, kindness, and respect. I know that approach will help strengthen my marriage.

Parents