Ephesians 6:1-9
English Standard Version (ESV)
Children and Parents
6 Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. 2 “Honor your father and mother” (this is the first commandment with a promise), 3 “that it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land.” 4 Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.
Bondservants and Masters
5 Bondservants, obey your earthly masters with fear and trembling, with a sincere heart, as you would Christ,6 not by the way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but as bondservants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart, 7 rendering service with a good will as to the Lord and not to man, 8 knowing that whatever good anyone does, this he will receive back from the Lord, whether he is a bondservant or is free. 9 Masters, do the same to them, and stop your threatening, knowing that he who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and that there is no partiality with him.I find it odd that these two passages are right next to each other, yet as one takes a closer look it starts to make sense. Paul has just encouraged spouses how to have a good relationship together.
Here children are encouraged how to have a good relationship with their parents and vis versa. Honor is something our culture often overlooks as necessary. The Lord has laid on my heart to honor those in my life. I don't always do so, but I strive to honor people in a way they find honoring. My parents have been very gracious and loving towards me. Honoring my parents comes easier to me because of this; however, how do you honor a parent you don't a good relationship with? Children can be very hurt by the power and control their parents have over them or the opposite where there is no discipline or order in the child's life. One thing I have learned is that different people find different things to be honoring. It takes knowing that person to discover how they want to be honored. Fathers day is coming up as we seek to honor our earthly fathers, let us take us take the time to honor how Heavenly Father as well.
