Exodus 20:12.
Honor your parents and grandparents.
In the Old Testament, the term "Fathers" applied to any person who lived before you in your family. When we think about honoring our parents, we need to apply that same honor to our grandparents. This command is repeated at least five times in scripture, both in the Old Testament and the New. If it was important enough for all those reminders, we need to pay attention and apply it to our lives. And there is a bonus blessing attached to this command, "that you may live a long life and prosper in the land that God is giving to you." Our lives are more satisfying and full when we honor our elders.
Proverbs 1:8.
Listen to their teachings.
The book of Proverbs gives us instructions that aid in developing wisdom and living a prudent life. The first instruction is that the fear of God is the beginning of wisdom, the second is to listen to our parents' teaching. We can and should benefit from the experience of our parents and grandparents. It is the second step on the road to a wise and prudent life.
1Timothy 5:4.
By honoring our parents and grandparents we honor God.
Paul instructs that we ought to put our faith into practice by taking care of our parents and grandparents. He also warns that those who neglect their families are worse than unbelievers. We better understand that instruction and warning when we realize that there is a direct link in our relationships with parents and our relationship with God. God presents himself to us most often in the role of parent, mostly as our father, but sometimes as a mother figure as well. God has given us parent-child relationships to help us understand our relationship with himself. If we cannot honor our earthly parents, we will find it difficult to honor God.
Let us honor our parents and grandparents, because it is commanded, because it carries a blessing, and most importantly because in honoring them, we honor God who is our perfect heavenly father.
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