As you travel this earth, honor your parents so that . . .

Ephesians 6

 Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. ² “Honor your father and mother”—which is the first commandment with a promise— ³ “that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth.”

So that it may go well with you:  your "honoring" or "not honoring" can physically affect you .

God's design is that you ENJOY long life.

This commandment is pervasive – and whether our parents have been good or bad, they have a fundamental affect on issues in life.

In the Book,  Bold love, by Dan Allender, a certain young man wanted to be a lawyer – he wanted to fight against all pretenders and fakes.  He wanted to drive out all pompous and hateful individuals because, sadly, his father was like that.  

He wanted his father to pay.  But He couldn’t even say one disagreeable thing to his father.  He was too afraid of him.  In trying to get back at his father he himself became a cruel man, seeking retribution at the sacrifice of making other cruel individuals pay.

·         He could make other cruel men pay – but became cruel himself.            God has a better route for us to travel.  As we live our life, He asks us to consider deeply and truthfully WHAT OUR PARENTS are really like.  This is called "honor" - in the original language, Hebrew, the word means to "have weight" or examine the weight.  Right, wrong, hurtful, or helpful - weigh out and search out what your parents were to you.  Respect them but ALSO tell the truth about them.               God bless you as you tell yourself the truth about your parents; go on a treasure hunt for the good and don't ignore the hurt or abuse or neglect that may have also been there.