HUMAN RELATIONSHIPS

Lesson Three

PARENTS (3): CHILDREN MUST HONOR THEIR PARENTS

Burden to Impart:

Children have a two-fold responsibility toward their parents: to honor them in their heart (by loving and respecting them and their word) and to obey them in their actions (Col. 3:10). The Lord (who watches over their hearts and conduct) is pleased when they obey their parents and rewards them with a blessed and long life on this earth (Eph. 6:1-3).

Memory Verse: "Honor your father and mother, which is the first commandment with promise" (Ephesians 6:2).

Facts to Teach:

  1. The parents' responsibility for their children is three-fold: (1) to love and care for them, (2) to provide for them physically, and (3) to train and discipline them.
  2. The children's responsibility toward their parents is two-fold: (1) to honor and (2) to obey.
  3. The Bible tells us to "honor" a king (or a ruler). This would mean that we highly regard his decrees and laws; we respect them and keep them for the king is the highest authority.
  4. The Bible tells us also that men "honored" a prophet (someone who spoke God's word to them). This means that they recognized that the prophet's word was God's word. Therefore they paid close attention to what he said and believed what he said was true. Sometimes the prophets told God's people that they were doing evil, that God was not happy with them, and that they must change their ways. They honored the prophet by listening to his word and by obeying his word.
  5. Children honor their parents when they love their parents and realize that their parents are their source, origin.
  6. Children honor their parents when they respect their parents and realize that their parents have lived much longer than they have, have already passed through what the children are now.going through, have learned much more than they have, and are the sustainers of their existence. Respect is mainly seen in our attitude, the way we respond to our parents either joyfully or begrudgingly, cooperatively or needing to be convinced, coerced, or threatened.
  7. Children honor their parents when they obey them and carefully do what they are told to do and faithfully do not do what they are told not to do.
  8. If we obey our parents outwardly in our actions, but do not truly respect their wishes and trust in their wisdom, we have not honored them.
  9. The Bible tells us that the Lord is pleased when we honor and obey our parents (Col. 3:20).
  10. The Bible also promises us that to those children who honor their father and mother there will be blessing in two ways (Eph. 6:1-3): a. It will be well with them (they will have safety and happiness). b. They will have a long life.