The Bible plainly teaches that children are to obey and honor their parents. Jesus himself, our greatest example, was obedient to his parents (Luke 2:51). This type of obedience pleases the Lord (Colossians 3:20). It is said in the Scriptures that for those who honor their father and mother, things will go well for you and you will have a long life on the earth. This is the first commandment with a promise.
(Ephesians 6:1-3) 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.”
Obey – To Follow The Commands Or Guidance Of
The word obey means to follow the commands or guidance of. When we look at the definition of obey and apply it to the children and parent relationship, we can see that as a general rule the type of obedience required will change as a child gets older.
The younger child will do a lot more of the following commands part of obedience. From “Don’t touch that hot burner!” to “Clean your room”, obeying your parents commands can be for a child’s own safety and it also teaches responsibility.
Older Children, Obeying Your Parents Is Still Wise
As children grow older, the guidance part of obedience comes more into play. Following the guidance of a parent who has learned some lessons in life can help children avoid many unnecessary mistakes. When children become adults, it is showing a lot of wisdom to continue learning from the guidance of good parents. Some of the best advice you will ever get will come from parents who love you and only want the best for you.
(Proverbs 13:1) A wise child accepts a parent’s discipline; a mocker refuses to listen to correction. NLT
In reality, there will be times when a child of various ages will be put in difficult situations that may require disobedience to a parent. When obeying your parent would require you to disobey God, the Scripture that says, “We must obey God rather than any human authority”, would apply. (Acts 5:29)
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