It’s Never Too Late To Say Thanks

It’s Never Too Late to Say Thanks

Honor your father and mother. Then you will live a long, full life in the land the LORD your God is giving you. Exodus 20:12

My parents did a lot of things that didn’t make sense to me. I knew my best interests and those of my brothers and sisters were paramount to them, but like any child, I didn’t think my parents were always fair. I was allowed to disagree with them, but I had to accept their decisions and learn to deal with them. Sometimes that wasn’t easy, and it didn’t always make me happy.

But I knew I could trust my parents. Their decisions were for my benefit, whether I understood them or not. I learned at an early age to respect them, and they made it clear that they expected my respect. They believed children should honor their parents and abide by the decisions their parents made for them. They made it clear that their decisions were rooted in God’s Word and that we were being raised on biblical principles. As a family, we were going to follow the Bible as our guide. Their strong convictions and their obvious love for us children earned my respect.

Parents play a huge role in shaping us into who we are. My parents certainly shaped me. Some who grew up in a difficult family situation may wish their parents had shaped them differently, but nearly every parent has done something right—something worthy of honor and respect. In our culture it has become more expected to criticize parents than to honor them, but God’s command to honor them is more important and reaps more benefits than we might think. As adult children it’s important to respect our parents for the role they have played in our lives.

Have you thanked your parents lately for the life they gave you? For providing food, clothes, and shelter for you? For taking care of you as well as they knew how? If so, that’s great. Do it as often as you can. If not, consider letting them know that you appreciate what they did for you. And if they have already passed on, thank God instead—and ask Him to pass it on.

Uncommon Key > Respecting parents has almost become a lost art form. Let your parents know how thankful you are, honoring them for the good they have done for you.