Written by Laura Bailey, a contemporary author.
Growing up in church, I often heard that God desires children to obey their parents. These verses were usually used to encourage good behavior, focusing on a child’s outward actions rather than the inward heart’s motivation…Children are to exhibit godly obedience, one that is not rooted in blind submission but in the heart’s desire to submit to the Lord and those whom the Lord places in authority over their lives. The family dynamic between parental authority and child submission is an allegory for the relationship we all should have with our Father in Heaven. Why should children obey their parents? Because it’s the right thing to do! … Children following their parents’ instructions isn’t just a suggestion; it’s an expectation. Yes, there will be times, countless times, when it will be difficult to submit to their leadership. Parents often give instructions, guidelines, and rules that are difficult for children to digest; they want to know why, and it’s in our human nature to rebel against authority. But this command is given under the premise that parents love and protect their children and that children obey them until they live independently…The fifth commandment is the first one that comes with a promise—precisely when it was first given, the promise was to the children of Israel that they would live a long, blessed life in the promised land. However, in a broader application for us today, children who respect and honor their parents will likely have an easier time in life, as obeying our parents is the cornerstone of understanding submission to authority.
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. [Ephesians 6:1-3]
Pathways Press.com 