Honor Your Father and Mother

by Bruce Mills

As I write this, I am sitting in a hospital room with my mom and dad.  My dad just went through colon cancer surgery yesterday and is now lying in a hospital bed, still feeling the lingering after-effects of the anesthesia.  It is strange to see him there—helpless, weak, and unable to do anything for himself—because he has always been a man of vigor and strength.  Even though he is 79 years old, he recently spent several months helping another family in their church remodel their home.  He has served his church as sort of a one-man “building and grounds” committee, using his incredible talent with his hands to install, fix, and repair the church facilities.  Now he lies in a bed, having gone through major surgery, unable to even sit up without assistance.  And my dear mother, as desirous as she is to help her husband of almost 60 years, is unable to render much help because of her limited strength and mobility.

So what am I to do?  The Scriptural imperative which keeps ringing in my mind is Exodus 20:12—“Honor your father and mother.”  The same command is repeated in Deut. 5:16 and then quoted six times in the New Testament by Jesus and the apostle Paul (Matt. 15:4, 19:19; Mark 7:10, 10:19; Luke 18:20; Eph.6:2).  The thought that has been running through my mind is, how is that command to work itself out in practical ways in my interaction with my parents?

In Mark 7, the Pharisees confronted Jesus about His disciples not following the Jewish religious tradition of ceremonially washing their hands before eating.  Jesus responded by asking them why they violated God’s commandment to honor their parents.  What they were doing was refusing to assist their needy parents by claiming that the possessions they owned which might be used to help their parents were actually dedicated to God.  Jesus condemned such ungodly behavior, stating that it invalidated the word of God (Mark 7:13).

Clearly then, a part of honoring our parents is using our own earthly possessions and finances to assist them when they have needs.  It is not enough to merely say words of respect and honor to them or about them.  Our honor must find its feet in the use of our own resources to physically help them.  The apostle John went so far as to say that those who have this world’s goods yet refuse to assist those around them in need, have no right to claim that God’s love abides in them (1 John 3:17).  And in the context of that passage, he explains that those who are truly born again love others, and those who do not love are still unregenerate (John 3:14).  So anyone who refuses to use his possessions for the benefit of his parents cannot claim to be a genuine Christian.

But possessions are not merely money and physical items.  Rather, they include such things as the physical strength God has given me to help lift my sick father out of bed and help him to the bathroom or to a chair so he can sit up for a while.  It includes doing the daily housework that my mom needs help with since she is physically limited and the stress of this situation is sapping her strength even more.  It includes using the paid vacation leave that my employer gives me so I can spend time at my parents’ home assisting them with their daily needs rather than taking a vacation that I might enjoy much more.

It’s good that I demonstrate my respect for my parents with words that express my love for both of them, but I have not truly fulfilled the requirements of God’s word until I honor them by putting my words into action and do all that I can to assist them both financially and physically.  May God grant me the willingness, desire, and strength to honor my father and mother in a way which brings Him the most glory.  Pray that I will do so during the coming days.

Our Relationship to Our President

by Bruce Mills

"Honor the emperor" (1 Peter 2:17, ESV). With those words, the apostle Peter established a principle which is often ignored or overlooked by many Christians. The apostle Paul gave the same principle in Romans 13:7 in regard to the believer's responsibility toward government and governmental authorities--"Pay to all what is owed to them...respect to whom respect is owed, honor to whom honor is owed." He was not saying that Christians only need to show respect and honor to those whom they believe deserve respect and honor; rather, he is affirming the universally understood principle that kings and emperors are to be respected and honored because of the position they hold. Paul also instructed Christians to pray for their secular government leaders--"I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior" (1 Timothy 2:1-3).

Why are these instructions so important? Because it is my observation that many within the generally conservative American evangelical community do not demonstrate the kind of respect and honor that Scripture calls for regarding those political leaders with whom they disagree. I have heard many Christians (and I have fallen into the same trap) besmirching and ridiculing the character, behavior, and actions of men such as Bill Clinton, Jimmy Carter, and now, Barack Obama, because they disagree with their political positions.

Sometimes their dismay over those matters is justified, such as when Bill Clinton engaged in immoral sexual behavior and then lied about it to the American people. Yes, his conduct was reprehensible, but that does not abrogate the responsibility of believers to pray for our leaders and honor them. God has sovereignly placed them in their position of authority over us and we are commanded to respond with submission and honor.

As Barack Obama has assumed the presidency of this nation, conservative Christians again find themselves in the position of having to demonstrate respect and honor for a man whose political positions and personal beliefs are often in conflict with the requirements of Scripture. Many find President Obama's position on abortion to be abhorrent, his position on homosexual marriage to be an abomination, and fear that his support for the nation of Israel may be less enthusiastic than his predecessors. In addition there are grave concerns among many that conservative values and those who hold to them will be increasingly marginalized and rejected as being "outside the mainstream." Some even go so far as to say that speaking out on certain biblical positions will be deemed hate speech and may be prosecuted by the government.

I have no idea how many of the perilous predictions that many evangelical Christians are expecting will come true under President Obama's administration. But I do think it is reasonable to expect that many will be very unhappy with him because of the effects of his executive orders and legislative pursuits upon values important to conservative Christians. However, none of this should have any impact upon our commitment to pray for and demonstrate honor and respect for President Obama.

Keep in mind that at the time that the apostles Paul and Peter wrote the words which opened this post, the emperor was Nero. He was the man who carried out the worst atrocities upon his victims. He enjoyed dipping Christians in wax, impaling them on poles around his palace, and then lighting them on fire, yelling, "Now you truly are the light of the world." He also sent many into the arena at the Circus Maximus where he would wrap Christians in animal skins, throw them to lions or dogs which would then tear those men and women apart in front of thousands of entertained spectators. At other times he would crucify them, and after the crowd would get bored, he would set the Christians on fire.

Additionally, Nero was an adulterous bi-sexual who ordered his own mother's execution. He was just about as vile as a man can be, yet this was the emperor whom Peter said to honor and for whom Paul instructed his readers to pray.

There is simply no way to validly compare President Obama to a man as evil as Nero. But, like Nero, Christians are to pray for President Obama and request the Lord to grant him wisdom and strength to carry out the duties of his position, and that the Lord will restrain him from poor decisions and direct him toward wise and good decisions. You may not agree with him politically, but he is our president. Thus, we are to obey the commands of Scripture to submit to, honor, respect, and pray for Him.