Honor Your Father & Mother

I have good parents –my mom and my dad. Are they perfect? No, but who I am today is a direct [positive] result of how I was raised. At Father’s day last year, I wrote a post called, 5 Ways my Dad Taught me about my Father. It’s one of my favourite posts I’ve written because I love to honour my parents for the way I was raised.

Not everyone has a good family background and you might say your parents never did anything right. If that’s true for you, read along this week as the Kingdom Bloggers each write and honour our parents for the things they did right. By reading with us, our collective prayer for our readers is the Lord will reveal ways your mom or dad did a good thing for you, so you can also give thanks and honour them for even the smallest action.

Ephesians 6:2-3, 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.

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If I were to meet a distinguished diplomat or leader, I would give them a strong handshake, look them in the eye and with confidence say, “Pleased to meet you.” My parents, especially my dad, insisted even when I was a small child to always look people in the eye when speaking to them and give them my full attention, and to expect I would be equally regarded with the same.

There is a verse in Proverbs 23:1 that says “When you sit down to dine with a ruler, consider carefully what is put before you.” I don’t recall either of my parents quoting the verse but the way I was raised shows me they understood the principal. My parents prepared me to be comfortable in all circumstances and with any type of person, treating everyone with respect and value and so when (not if) I sit down to dine with a ruler I can confidently consider what is being presented and stand my ground, with respect for myself and the other.

My confidence wasn’t only built on my dad’s influence but also my mother. My mother’s influence was more domestic, and I don’t mean just how to keep a household (although it was that, too) but how to make a home where other people feel welcomed and cared for. I am the Lady of my House and my mother showed me how to be one with grace, warmth and hospitality.

One of the greatest gifts my mom gave me was the freedom to experiment in the kitchen. More than once I made dinner for my family that was barely edible or I ruined the beaters from the mixmaster because I stuck a wooden spoon in the bowl while it was running on high. I don’t recall my mom getting mad or making disparaging comments about my inability. Instead, she encouraged me by complimenting me for trying and offered me the opportunity to try again.

My parents are a partnership; I was am very blessed to have both parents interested and involved in my life. It was a treat to be able to honour them publicly this week.