Q. What is the fifth of the Ten Commandments?
A. The fifth of the Ten Commandments is, “Honor your father
and mother.”
The fifth commandment is probably every parent’s favorite of
the ten, but it is not a command that is limited to children.
We need to honor our parents. It is interesting that God did
not say obey your parents, but to
honor them. But think about it: how can a child disobey his parents at honor
them at the same time?
No matter how politely the child may respond to instruction,
disobedience comes down to a lack of honor. In fact, Paul associated obedience
with honor in Ephesians 6:1-2.
“Children, obey
your parents in the Lord, for this is right. Honor your father and mother.”
What about those of us who are grown and started our own
families? While we do not need to obey our parents’ rules, we should never fail
to show them honor and respect. In 1 Timothy 5:3-4 Paul instructed Timothy to
“Honor widows
who are truly widows. But if a widow has children or grandchildren, let them
first learn to show godliness to their own household and to make some return to
their parents, for this is pleasing in the sight of God.”
Whether
you are six, 16, or 60, God is pleased when you honor your father and mother.
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