Rebooting Relationships

To start off, this is not about the “relationship” everyone gets excited to read on. This is about honoring our parents.
This blog post has a huge impact on my life because I  am an only daughter to my parents and yet I couldn’t actually honor them 100%. I was all ears in the message that I found myself tearing up with some of the realizations I was having while Ptr Manny Manansala speaks out from the Bible. This post will be full of Bible verses because every verse used stuck most in my heart. I told you, I am sensitive on this matter. Honor Thy Parents – the fifth commandment. The very first commandment into giving love to others; it should really start with our parents.

12 “Honor your father and mother. Then you will live a long, full life in the land the Lord your God is giving you. Exodus 20:12 

6 Children, obey your parents because you belong to the Lord,[a] for this is the right thing to do. 2 “Honor your father and mother.” This is the first commandment with a promise: 3 If you honor your father and mother, “things will go well for you, and you will have a long life on the earth.”[b] Ephesians 6:1-3

We can easily say that we love our parents, but do we honor them?
God made sure to use the word “honor” than “love” in your relationship with your parents. Do you desire to honor your parents 10 out of 10? Honoring your parents is based on actions and you can show your love to them by honoring them.
?
How? Honor your parents with your HEAD, HEART, HANDS.

HEAD. Mabigat and Matimbang are different. Matimbang has an essential burden that you need to carry because you value it. Put a value on your parents’ decisions. Be mindful of them. Your parents are your burden.

20 My son, obey your father’s commands,
and don’t neglect your mother’s instruction.
21 Keep their words always in your heart.
Tie them around your neck.
22 When you walk, their counsel will lead you.
When you sleep, they will protect you.
When you wake up, they will advise you.
23 For their command is a lamp
and their instruction a light;
their corrective discipline
is the way to life. Proverbs 6:20-23 

My children,[a] listen when your father corrects you.
Pay attention and learn good judgment, Proverbs 4:1

When’s the last time you said thanks to your parents? We are busy of thinking of ourselves rather than thinking of them. I saw this on the internet, “Love your parents. We are so busy growing up, we often forget they are also growing old”. It’s true.

Listen to your father, who gave you life,
and don’t despise your mother when she is old. Proverbs 23:22

When’s the last time you paid full attention to your parents?

HEART. Whether your parents are good or bad, the command stands. Honoring your parents is nothing to do with what they did but for who they are and for who do you do it for. If God is able to forgive you unconditionally, you can then forgive your parents unconditionally. You cannot give what you don’t have. If you experienced God’s unconditional love and forgiveness, you can easily give that to your parents.

Sensible children bring joy to their father;
foolish children despise their mother.Proverbs 15:20

HANDS. As long as your parents don’t make you disobey God’s commandments, their value is in a high value. For children providing for their parents financially, don’t diminish your parents’ values. Don’t make them feel inadequate.

3 Jesus replied, “And why do you, by your traditions, violate the direct commandments of God? 4 For instance, God says, ‘Honor your father and mother,’[a] and ‘Anyone who speaks disrespectfully of father or mother must be put to death.’[b] 5 But you say it is all right for people to say to their parents, ‘Sorry, I can’t help you. For I have vowed to give to God what I would have given to you.’ 6 In this way, you say they don’t need to honor their parents.[c] And so you cancel the word of God for the sake of your own tradition. Matthew 15:3-6

This commandment has a promise. So that it will be well for us and that we may live long on the earth. God made this promise because He wants to see this “honoring” passed to generations. Ptr. Manny had this little activity or challenge to send a text to our parents asking for forgiveness because we fail to honor them. I did that. It really is a start of rebooting your relationship to your parents.

As long as you still have time, you can still ask for forgiveness.