Honor Thy Father and Mother

My mother very recently and very suddenly passed away, and I found myself asking a very important question: Did I honor my mother?

I didn't throw any parades for her or tout her parenting skills to all my friends. I disobeyed her on occasion, and I’m sure I’ve done plenty of things she would be ashamed of. If she was a scholar, it might be easy to honor her, but what if she was just ordinary? What if she was a drug lord or crime boss, then what?

If we use the worldly definition of “honor” (to lift up or make proud), we could find ourselves subject to our parents’ fickle and/or sinful standards. We could end up celebrating or adopting sin in an attempt to honor our parents; for instance lying about or hiding our parents’ destructive behavior, or serving other gods as we seek power, prestige, fame, or fortune in order to make our parents proud.

“Honor thy father and mother” is a commandment of God, and it must be taken in the context of God. God does want us to heed our parents and make them proud…by adhering to His word according to the teachings of our parents.

Ephesians 6:1-4 spells it out plainly: “Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. “Honor your father and mother,” which is the first commandment with promise: “that it may be well with you and you may live long on the earth.” And you, fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord..”

So, parents are called to raise their children according to the word of God, so that their children can grow up and honor their parents through a love for God as He intended.


Bless her and keep her Lord in all your grace and mercy; may I honor her faithfully as long as I draw breath.


Mom
April 22, 1953 – June 11, 2007

Less Self Equals Selfless

It's about as hard to post to this blog as it is to read my Bible. I have so many other things I'd rather do. Don't get me wrong, I really want to grow my faith and my life in a manner that glorifies the Lord, and I want this blog to grow and to help spread that glory, but I am so weak.

Reading the Bible and posting to the blog both seem really, really simple. I constantly ask myself, "How hard can it be?" It's easy to play video games. It's easy to pursue a degree. It's easy to manage my career? Why is it so hard to read my Bible?

Reading my Bible serves something greater than me. Posting to this blog serves something greater than me. My video games, my degree, my career, and even my fitness often serve only me. It's much easier and seemingly more rewarding to serve myself.

Also, I don't need help serving myself, but without support it's near impossible to keep plugging selflessly along. If I don't have support, I am much more likely to fall into the easier, more self oriented pursuits.

So, it's not hard to read my Bible or post to the blog, but when left to my own devices it is hard to put my self on the back burner. Sometimes, I can be so selfish.