"Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be prolonged in the land which the Lord your God gives you." (Exodus 20:12)

"Well, you know, kids will be kids.". . ."Little Johnny does just the opposite of what I tell him too. .so I just tell him not to do what I really want him too, it's called reverse psychology.". . ."You can't live your kids lives for them, you just have to let them learn by their own mistakes." . . ."My kids never call or visit now that they have left home."

Do any of those comments sound familiar to you? Perhaps some of you have uttered similar words. In our society today, it is common to joke or say things such as these in a light way. But does the Creator take such attitudes lightly? The answer is emphatically "NO!"

The Scripture heading this article is the fifth great Commandment thundered from Mt. Sinai to the children of Israel, and later written into a tablet of stone by the very finger of God. (Exodus 20)

The people were summoned to the foot of Sinai to meet their God and receive His Commandments regarding how they should live their lives. When they were all there and in place, the Glory cloud of the Lord descended from heaven with ten thousand of His holy angels.

It began to thunder and lightning, and the mountain began to shake violently! Suddenly the very voice of God spoke like the sound of a great trumpet, majestic and with awesome power, saying -"I AM the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt."

God then proceeded to announce ten great Commandments which were to be the principle foundations for His way of life. The first four Commandments pertaining to man's relationship with God, -the last six instructing how God wants us to deal with each other. The very first of these (the 5th) being the Command for children to honor and obey their parents.

In the Family Affairs section of the Nov / Dec Points of Truth Newsletter, my wife Treon wrote that the key to making marriage work is making sure Christ is in your marriage.

She quoted Revelation 3 concerning Jesus' advice to the church at Laodicea, which was, "Behold I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears and opens I will come in and dine with him", and tied it in with marriage saying that marriage can only work in its fullness if Christ is in it and actively working.

How we view raising our children must be the same way. Christians should understand, -Christ must be active, working through parents in raising their children.

Ultimately, our children are not truly ours but Gods.

He gives them to us to raise in His ways not in our own ways and will hold parents accountable.

Now, it does not please God when His children do not honor and obey the parents He has entrusted them to. And it does not please God when parents do not teach His children to honor and obey the office of parent.

Notice how strongly Jesus felt about this Commandment, -"For God said, Honor your father and mother', and He who speaks evil of father or mother, let him be put to death." (Matt.15:4) Notice that the men Jesus was speaking to were already grown, so the Commandment applies throughout ones life.

"Speaks evil of", -rendered "curses" in some Bible translations, means literally to "take lightly" or "slight."

Jesus is saying, the person that takes lightly their parents and their wishes is worthy of death!

Yet sadly, we see this far too often even in His Church. In contrast, to "Honor" literally means to "weigh heavily."

God is saying that what your parents say should weigh heavily to you, -more heavily than your own thoughts, wishes or desires.

Through the family structure, God is giving man the proper setting to prepare His children to learn to be honorable and obedient in their relationship with Him.

Teaching them that God's will should weigh heavier than their own will in their lives.

To allow children to take lightly or disobey what we as parents command, is to prepare them to do the same toward their heavenly Father.

Parents lovingly teach your children this principle, and children, obey your parents that your days may be long upon the earth.

Related Links: "Submission, From Your Will to God's Will"

Jesus is Lord. Blessed be His Name!