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"For God so loved the world that He gave His onlyh begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life."
(John 3:16 - NKJV)
"For God so loved the world that He gave His onlyh begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life."
(John 3:16 - NKJV)
SPIRIT BREAD WEEKLY
FATHERS AND HONOR
By Jerry D. Ousley
By Jerry D. Ousley
Fathers and Honor
By Jerry D. Ousley
I love my dad. Sometimes he can say things that define the old adage, “off the wall,” but, at other times he has amazed me with his simple wisdom. He’s a man who never progressed beyond the fourth grade in formal schooling, and he lied about his age in the 50’s in order to go into the U.S. Army. He was in the thick of the war in Korea and protected us from his experience there until we were older. I suppose he waited until then because he knew as adult children, we would be mature enough to understand what he went through. When we started school, he asked our mother to teach him how to read so he could keep up with his kids. As of this writing, he is 93 years old.
Sometimes we have a good laugh at some of the things he comes up with. I suppose I’d come up with some “different” assumptions too if all I had to do was sit and watch TV. But our entertainment of his observations is not in disrespect or in a manner of ridiculing him. Those things just strike us funny, but does not distract us from our respect for him. We still give him honor.
In Ephesians 6:1-3, Paul wrote, “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’.” Paul was quoting from Moses and the Law given by God as found in both Exodus 20:12 and Deuteronomy 5:16. In all the orders given by God to Moses, starting with the Law and Ten Commandments, then all those instructions concerning the tabernacle, worship, animal sacrifice, and daily living, this one commandment is the first with a promise. The promise is that by honoring one’s parents, it would help them to live long on the earth and things would go well with them when they settled in the land God had promised. Makes you wonder if maybe they’d live longer because by honoring dad he wouldn’t be tempted to take them out? Not really … just kidding.
In quoting this passage, Paul wasn’t trying to issue commands but was letting believers in Christ know that in life, whether centuries ago, or yesterday, whether Jew or Gentile, regardless the color of our skin, whether we are male or female, and no matter what country we are from, the practical application of this instruction holds true for all of us.
He didn’t specify that this commandment was conditional. It doesn’t depend on whether our parents were good parents or bad parents. No matter our childhood experience, if it was good and memorable or if it was an experience we would rather forget, we are simply instructed to honor them as our parents, our mothers and fathers. This doesn’t mean that we approve of all they did or didn’t do, or that we agree with everything we remember from our childhood. It simply says to honor them.
We do that by simply being thankful that they brought us into this life and gave us a chance in this world. Our very existence demands we honor. Again, we may not approve; we may remember terrible, even horrible experiences, yet we are thankful that they gave us life in pro-creation with God.
However, this passage goes on to say, “And you, fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord.” (Ephesians 6:4). Yes, just when we as fathers want to tell our children, “See there? You have to honor me,” we are told that there’s something we too need to do. When we do our part by not doing or saying things to drive our children to anger, and when we teach them and instruct them to give greater honor, respect and even our existence, to God, then we make their command to honor much easier to accomplish.
The practice of honoring our fathers is also a mere picture of the broader truth. You see, our ultimate and true father is none other than God Himself. He is our Father Who sustains us, gives us breath, and protects us daily from hidden dangers we may never realize. Honoring our fathers is the first step to honoring God.
This Father’s Day, let’s remember to honor our dads. No matter what they have done, regardless their successes or failures, they deserve this honor. And when we are obedient to these instructions, it might make your life go a little bit better for a little bit longer…
By Jerry D. Ousley
I love my dad. Sometimes he can say things that define the old adage, “off the wall,” but, at other times he has amazed me with his simple wisdom. He’s a man who never progressed beyond the fourth grade in formal schooling, and he lied about his age in the 50’s in order to go into the U.S. Army. He was in the thick of the war in Korea and protected us from his experience there until we were older. I suppose he waited until then because he knew as adult children, we would be mature enough to understand what he went through. When we started school, he asked our mother to teach him how to read so he could keep up with his kids. As of this writing, he is 93 years old.
Sometimes we have a good laugh at some of the things he comes up with. I suppose I’d come up with some “different” assumptions too if all I had to do was sit and watch TV. But our entertainment of his observations is not in disrespect or in a manner of ridiculing him. Those things just strike us funny, but does not distract us from our respect for him. We still give him honor.
In Ephesians 6:1-3, Paul wrote, “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’.” Paul was quoting from Moses and the Law given by God as found in both Exodus 20:12 and Deuteronomy 5:16. In all the orders given by God to Moses, starting with the Law and Ten Commandments, then all those instructions concerning the tabernacle, worship, animal sacrifice, and daily living, this one commandment is the first with a promise. The promise is that by honoring one’s parents, it would help them to live long on the earth and things would go well with them when they settled in the land God had promised. Makes you wonder if maybe they’d live longer because by honoring dad he wouldn’t be tempted to take them out? Not really … just kidding.
In quoting this passage, Paul wasn’t trying to issue commands but was letting believers in Christ know that in life, whether centuries ago, or yesterday, whether Jew or Gentile, regardless the color of our skin, whether we are male or female, and no matter what country we are from, the practical application of this instruction holds true for all of us.
He didn’t specify that this commandment was conditional. It doesn’t depend on whether our parents were good parents or bad parents. No matter our childhood experience, if it was good and memorable or if it was an experience we would rather forget, we are simply instructed to honor them as our parents, our mothers and fathers. This doesn’t mean that we approve of all they did or didn’t do, or that we agree with everything we remember from our childhood. It simply says to honor them.
We do that by simply being thankful that they brought us into this life and gave us a chance in this world. Our very existence demands we honor. Again, we may not approve; we may remember terrible, even horrible experiences, yet we are thankful that they gave us life in pro-creation with God.
However, this passage goes on to say, “And you, fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord.” (Ephesians 6:4). Yes, just when we as fathers want to tell our children, “See there? You have to honor me,” we are told that there’s something we too need to do. When we do our part by not doing or saying things to drive our children to anger, and when we teach them and instruct them to give greater honor, respect and even our existence, to God, then we make their command to honor much easier to accomplish.
The practice of honoring our fathers is also a mere picture of the broader truth. You see, our ultimate and true father is none other than God Himself. He is our Father Who sustains us, gives us breath, and protects us daily from hidden dangers we may never realize. Honoring our fathers is the first step to honoring God.
This Father’s Day, let’s remember to honor our dads. No matter what they have done, regardless their successes or failures, they deserve this honor. And when we are obedient to these instructions, it might make your life go a little bit better for a little bit longer…