Honor
Lessons learnt from a teenage daughter.
I asked my teenage niece to write a piece for my blog and this is what she wrote:
I grew up with an overprotective mommy (she still is… not as bad now, but still is nonetheless). As a child I wasn’t allowed to play with the kids in my community. As a teenager I wasn’t allowed to go out with my friends until she met all of them and got to know them more.
Generally I thought she was annoying (she still is … Although now I think it’s kind of cute) and overbearing. I mean all my friends were going here and there, so why couldn’t I go? I thought she was stifling me with her overprotectiveness.
As I got older however, I realized different.
I saw that in my community some of the children I wanted to play with and be like were abusing drugs, having children and getting involved in gangs. I also learned and understood the term “show me your friends and I’ll show you who you are”. Trust me… No matter how much you claim you are nothing like your “friends”, you quickly realize that to stick around a certain group of friends you have to be like them or they won’t think you are cool enough to chill with them.
It dawned on me that she wanted something different for me. She and daddy worked so hard to send me to school, provide food, shelter, clothing and whatever else I wanted. She didn’t want me to make the same mistakes made by her and my daddy.
What she wanted
In essence, she wanted to protect the young clueless me; to grow into a woman of morals; she wanted me to become a strong woman of God. She wanted me to grow into a capable and determined young woman who can achieve anything that she puts her mind to.
With all that said, it really brings to mind Ephesians 6:1-3 which says “Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. “Honor your father and mother”—which is the first commandment with a promise— “so that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth.” and Colossians 3:20 that states “Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord.”
These verses took on a new meaning for me… I realized that the Lord knows that sometimes (most often than not) our parents know what is best for us.
Another important verse is Deuteronomy 5:16 which reminds us to “Honor your father and your mother, as the Lord your God commanded you, that your days may be long, and that it may go well with you in the land that the Lord your God is giving you.”
Please note that this verse didn’t say, to honor your father and mother only if they were good to you. I say this because, let’s face it, not everyone has parents like mine. Some persons have some really horrible parents. Still the bible says that you should honor them. I know what you’re thinking though, honor them?! After all that they have done to me?! How could I?! Why should I?!
You should because in the bible the Lord says to forgive. A very difficult thing to do, but at the end of the day the Lord says this to us because he knows how better off we will be once we do. Remember what HE told us in Jeremiah: “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope” (Jeremiah 29:11)
In Conclusion:
Lastly for all those in the world who think that they don’t have a parent, remember that God is our Creator and Father to us all. “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.” (Genesis 1:27).
HE is the parent that we should always obey. The one who always knows what is best for us, even when we don’t. The Sovereign Lord who as stated in Jeremiah knew us even before we were formed (Jeremiah 1 : 5) and has plans for us (Jeremiah 29:11).
Honor and obey HIM.
Prayer:
Compassionate Father, teach us all how to honor our parents even when we really don’t feel like we should. Above all, may we honor you our Heavenly Father and always live to please and glorify you. In Jesus name. Amen