Make them Weighty

Make them Weighty
Words of Faith 12-19-2022
Dr. Jeffrey D. Hoy © 2022
Jeff.Hoy@faithfellowshipweb.com
Faith Fellowship Church - Melbourne, FL
www.faithfellowshipweb.com
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Exodus 20
[12] "Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you.

The fifth command of God at Sinai was also a positive one. Honor your father and mother. It is also the only command that comes with a "promise" or a positive consequence. If we are called to love God with all our being, part of the way we do so is by honoring our earthly parents. In doing so, a blessing and favor are upon us to live a long life in the land.
What does it mean to "honor"? The Hebrew word literally means to "be heavy" or "make weighty." So does this mean we are to feed our parents fattening foods? (That was a joke ;-) Actually, this means we are to give our earthly parents a place of prominence or "weight" in our lives. There is an implied call not only to respect but also to obedience, especially among young children.
As adults, we are to consider our parents' counsel. We are to give our earthly parents an exceptional, "weighty" place of honor in our decisions and life. When we choose another path, we do so with respect. Young children are urged in the New Testament to "obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. Reference is made to this command: "Honor your father and mother which is the first commandment with a promise" (Ephes. 6:1-2). When Paul qualifies the command as a parent "in the Lord" this probably does not mean only if they are believers. Still, obedience is limited if a child is asked to do something that breaks God's law. Obedience stops at the point of God's breaking God's law.
Apparently, a great benefit comes to family life because of the positive action of honoring earthly parents. One thing that should be obvious is that when adults honor their parents, they are teaching their children, by example, to do the same for them in the future. When we discard or ignore our earthly parents, we sow the same seeds into our children, who will learn that this is appropriate for them someday. The health and life of the family are greatly enriched by these lessons of honor. Honor is caught more than it is taught.
There is also a powerful social mechanism here in God's design. In the ancient world, honor included adequate financial support and practical care for the needs of parents in their old age (1 Tim. 5:4, 8). A person who treated his parents with contempt would actually face the death penalty. "If anyone curses his father or mother, he must be put to death. He has cursed his father or his mother, and his blood will be on his own head" (Leviticus 20:9, Exodus 21:17).
Jesus addressed the issue of neglecting parents when he confronted a religious practice called "Corban." Corban was a "tradition of man" developed in the first century by which a person could "devote" money to the Lord and thus designate it as unavailable for the care of their aging parents. Then, after the parent's death, the person could reverse the Corban and reclaim the money for their own use. Jesus rejected this type of maneuver, quoting Moses:
"Moses said, 'Honor your father and your mother,' and, 'Anyone who curses his father or mother must be put to death.' But you say that if a man says to his father or mother: 'Whatever help you might otherwise have received from me is Corban' (that is, a gift devoted to God), then you no longer let him do anything for his father or mother. Thus you nullify the word of God by your tradition that you have handed down. And you do many things like that" (Mark 7:13).
So how do we honor our earthly parents? For some, this is easy, but for others, it can be difficult. Our parents may not be believers. Or they may have done hurtful things in our growing years. In such cases, the most honoring thing we could do would be to forgive and express the love of God to our parents, praying for them to come to faith.
As adults, we are not called to obey our earthly parents but to respect them and care for them as best we can. We should not search for loopholes that would dodge the responsibility of caring for parents or would exempt resources from being available for their care. For many, the wisdom shared by earthly parents is invaluable. We should make them a weighty and respected part of our life. There may be other ways to create events or legacies that honor our parents.

Father, show me how I can best honor and respect my earthly parents. Give me ears open to wisdom and a heart receptive to counsel. Show me ways to honor those you have used in my life so I may pass this on to my children. In Jesus' name.

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© Jeffrey D. Hoy 2022
Dr. Jeffrey D. Hoy - Faith Fellowship Church (EFCA)
2820 Business Center Blvd.
Melbourne, Florida 32940 (321)-259-7200
Jeff.Hoy@faithfellowshipweb.com
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