Week 8 | "Honor your Parents" | Dan

“Honor your Parents” – PB

            How do we apply this to us adults? It does not mean the same as obey. It’s an attitude, a spirit of honor. “Heavy,” “Weight,” “Presence,” “Glory.” Do we expect to be served or to serve? To honor your parents means to want to be like them, seeing past their sins and flaws. Self-centeredness and selfishness have no place here.

            Honoring your parents is the commandment that bridges commandments regarding loving God and those regarding loving others (body connecting the two wings). How you treat your parents will determine how you relate with others.

            Authority, Identity, Purpose come from our parents. Promises, Blessings, Destiny of family. According to Scripture, God deals with us in context of families, tribes, and networks, not individuals. Let God uproot the dishonoring spirit in you that hadicaps you, even if it hurts.

A sure sign that something has been broken is slandering, criticizing, and disagreeing with bosses, pastors, etc. Other signs include a cynicical and disrectful tone and parental inversion (Your parents depend on you to rescue them because they’ve failed). You put blame and shame on them instead of forgiving them and starting over with a clean slate. The one who is unteachable and complains the most is the one that is least willing to give or serve. The most significant characteristic is the inability to worship because to worship God means to accept your parents and their authority over you.

Someone who lacks authority and guidance is indecisive and confused about his identity because no one was there to tell them yes or no. Anxiety. Frustration. Lack of relational endurance/commitment to work. Easily offended by pastors/bosses. Calling/destiny confusion. Weak in influence/lack of mentees. Self-centered/no loyalty/users. Lack of circle of close friends.

Remedy: 2 Cor. 5. Make it a practice to do the opposite of the above. We as Christians no longer view and treat people the way the world does. If we are now in Christ, we are a new creation. The old has gone, and the new has come. Stop waiting for people to change. The responsibility to see others through God’s eyes is on me, the new creation with new glasses.