Proverbs - Honoring Parents

Proverbs 19:26

He that wasteth his father, and chaseth away his mother,

 is a son that causeth shame, and bringeth reproach.

The Lord is very clear about honoring our parents.  No matter how old we are it is vital that we seek to honor our parents, whether they are alive or dead.  The way we speak about them, think about them or speak to them, we must not be people who dishonor our parents.  Even if they have made mistakes we must not be anxious to reveal their weaknesses but be truthful with honor.  Even when we are older we must not waste our fathers or chase away our mothers.  We can always improve in this.

Our children also need to know that reverence and honor are not options in our households but expected from them.  We are training them to submit to authority and honor those who are over them in position.  Wasting a father is being oppressive to him.  Our children are not come against their fathers.  We back up our husband’s standards for the home and by our examples of submission to those standards and reinforcements to our children we protect our home from shame and reproach.  To chase away a mother is what a child will do when they isolate themselves or say things that are so hurtful a mother pulls back and protects herself from his or her hurtful comments.  We must not do this.  Even if our child is pushing us away, we must stay committed to that child in love and affection.  This will help protect our home and offset his or her wrong responses.  We can respond in such a way that even the natural effects of a child’s lack of honor can be compensated and balanced out by parents who redirect the flow of the home by their resistance to these outcomes.  Authority has great influence and in the Lord, we are armed and able to impact the outcome of our relationships with our children.