- Today, we share with you some words of Jesus about honour we believe will be a great blessing to you.
- Now Jesus said these as a result of the criticism of the very religious Pharisees (the hypocrites – as Jesus called them). And before Jesus would address the issue, He confronted their hypocrisy with this example:
For instance, Moses gave you this law from God: ‘Honor your father and mother,’ and ‘Anyone who speaks disrespectfully of father or mother must be put to death.’
But you say it is all right for people to say to their parents, ‘Sorry, I can’t help you. For I have vowed to give to God what I would have given to you.’ In this way, you let them disregard their needy parents. And so you cancel the word of God in order to hand down your own tradition. And this is only one example among many others.” – Mark 7:10-13
- From this passage, we see God’s mindset about honour for our parents.
- It cannot be overemphasized dear friend, let us consciously and with intentionality, honour our fathers and our mothers (biological, spiritual, career-wise, etc).
- It seems to be very important to God and He has put on it the blessing of doing well and lasting for a long time.
- From Mark 6, we saw how Herod honoured John the Baptist by thinking correctly, recognizing that he was a good person, speaking well of him, listening to him gladly, protecting him from harm, and doing the many things John told him (Mark 6:19-20).
- These are some ways to honour without substance and we must do this for our parents (and anyone deserving of honour).
Therefore Herodias held it against him and wanted to kill him, but she could not; for Herod feared John, knowing that he was a just and holy man, and he protected him. And when he heard him, he did many things, and heard him gladly. – Mark 6:19-20
- From the same Mark 6, we also saw how Jesus was dishonoured by His own family, relatives, and country (Mark 6:4).
- They did not think properly about Jesus. They thought about him in terms of His job as a carpenter, His past, background, and relationships. They got offended at Him.
- They questioned and suspected the source of His anointing. Could it be that some of us fail to honour our parents properly because of these?
- Perhaps we are offended by our parents, we judge how they raised us, their financial status, their relationships, their past, the mistakes we believe they made, etc., and it makes us unable to honour them properly.
- In Ephesians 6, God did not give a criteria for the kind of parents we should honour. (Perhaps because God is also a Father, He knows how it feels to bring forth people and not be honoured by them).
- Dear friend, let’s allow God’s word to change our minds, and let’s learn to honour our parents – just because they are our parents.
“Honor your father and mother”—which is the first commandment with a promise— “so that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth.” ~ Ephesians 6:2-3
- In addition, Jesus also teaches us the need to honour with substance (wealth), because at a point honour has to be shown with our wealth also (not just words).
- “Honor the Lord with your wealth and with the best part of everything you produce” (Proverbs 3:9).
- In Malachi 1:6-14 (please read this), we see how God described dishonour because people wouldn’t give good and thoughtful sacrifices to honour.
Interestingly, Jesus seems to place a higher premium of honour on our fathers and mothers above making vows to God (when the two coincide). It isn’t that the latter is bad; no, not at all! But Jesus is showing us the value God puts on honouring our parents (the best is to do both).
Example: As you plan a thanksgiving offering to honour God during Christmas, please prepare something also to honour your parents and parental figures and thank them.
- It is an error to say: “All I can spare of material things (wealth) is dedicated to God and I cannot help my parents.” Jesus will not be happy with us at all.
- The Pharisees had twisted God’s original instructions, using religion to free themselves from responsibility to their parents; and perhaps to get more money in the church.
- Jesus calls this line of thinking hypocrisy! In God’s eyes, if we do not honour our parents we do not honour Him.
Let’s place first things first, lest our giving to God is rejected at the altar. Let’s learn to honour the fathers and mothers God has given us, that it may be well with us and that we may live long on the earth. Heyy… You’re blessed!
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