Your Spiritual Check-Up Using the 10 Commandmentsનમૂનો

“I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.” (Exodus 20:2, ESV)

“Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you.” (Exodus 20:12, ESV)

Honor your Father and Mother – Am I showing respect to my parents?

In context, the honoring of parents was about honoring their instructions about the covenant of faithfulness God had made with the people of Israel. To reject the instructions of the parents was tantamount to rejecting God. With this understanding, honoring parents was about listening, paying attention to, and receiving the instructions of faith in the covenant God. Honoring your parents was about believing in and honoring God.

I have had many conversations with adult children of parents who have been, at best, mean and, at worst, horribly abusive. These conversations have asked hard questions about what to do with this commandment. Sometimes honoring your parents is forgiving them and not being to them what they were to you. This is honoring to God. If your parents are people of faith, following their example is honoring them. If your parents are not people of faith, you are still under the commandment to “…love your neighbor as yourself.” And there is no closer neighbor than your parents.

For all people, it is honoring to have healthy boundaries. There are some unhealthy, destructive people where the appropriate, God-honoring thing is to create safe physical, emotional and spiritual distance. In this distance it is honoring to continue praying for them to come to repentance and faith.

Questions to Consider

- How are you honoring to your parents and the people of authority over you?

- Where do you need to establish healthy boundaries?

Actions to Take

- If at all possible, bless your parents or honor their legacy of faith by sharing with others who they were and what they did for God.

- Be a person of prayer for those in spiritual authority over you.

Prayer to Make

Heavenly Father, I pray a blessing over my parents and those you have put in my life as spiritual authorities to raise me up in the faith. I pray you will strengthen them to know you deeply and to be faithful to the faith. In the people where I have spiritual influence and authority, help me to be faithful and true to you so they will know you and love you deeply. Amen.