Honoring Your Mother Part 1
By Erica Galindo on May 1, 2012
In Ephesians 6:1–3, the apostle Paul reminds us that the fifth commandment is the first commandment with a promise-
Honor your father and mother so that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth.
“What it means to honor our father and mother may change as we grow into adulthood, but the principle always endures. The adult child does not woe the parent obedience, but they do owe the parent honor,” reflects Senior Pastor David Guzik, of Calvary Chapel Santa Barbara.
As Christians, most of us strive to honor our parents throughout the year; however the Mother’s Day holiday is a strong reminder that honoring our parents is a direct command from the Lord.
When we meditate on all of the sacrifices our mothers have made for us throughout the years, it is easy to understand the wisdom of the Scriptures that commands us to honor them. We can apply the teachings of Jesus throughout the Gospel: respect those who sacrifice, honor the ones who serve unselfishly, and appreciate those who lay their lives down for the sake of others.
If we reflect on all of a mother’s life-giving and life-nurturing roles, it is easy to celebrate her with expressions of deep love and sweet gratitude.
While our children are still young it is pivotal that we teach them the significance of how to honor their parents. Dads should take the lead in teaching their children how to honor their moms, and moms should teach the children how to honor their dads. We can train them to remember birthdays and anniversaries, to write letters or poems, and to make or buy gifts on special occasions.
As adults there is no limit to how we can honor our mothers. Remembering her favorite perfume, taking her to a museum or a play, or taking her out to eat at a restaurant you know she will like. Write a heartfelt card or letter recalling special vacations of fond memories. While store bought gifts are always a blessing, sometimes the simple act of baking a homemade dessert can mean so much.
Perhaps the ultimate way we can honor our parents is to care for them when they are in their golden years. Erhardt and Grace Groothoff of Sonoma, California, made the decision ot have Grace’s eighty year old parents move into a cottage on their property last year when Grace’s father was diagnosed with Parkinsons’s Disease.
Story by:
Erica Galindo
Courtesy of Sonoma Christian Home Magazine
http://sonomachristianhome.com/
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