I read something about how God used the circumstances of Jesus’ birth to save an illegitimate family, meaning us. That’s pretty profound. Jesus is the Son of God, but society would have called Him illegitimate. Yet in those very circumstances, Jesus reconciled us to God.
This made me think of how God uses every bit of our upbringing for His purposes in our lives. Have you considered that? Can you see your parents and your upbringing through that lens? That’s a key to honoring your parents.
What does it mean to honor your parents?
Honoring your mother and father means you can hold your parents up to be whoever God created them to be, regardless of the lens you see them through.
Are you able to honor your parents and the contribution they made into who you are? That’s pretty serious. Can you trust God enough to know that whatever your parents did or didn’t do was purposed for who are you? Purposed for your identity?
How do you do this? Start by holding your parents up to be who God created them to be. Ask the Lord to let you see their hearts, to see the way He created them.
That doesn’t come naturally. You’ve got to work this through the cross.
The only way you can honor your mother and father is if you let go of your “rights” and let God show you who they are. Because the reality is, if they acted hurtfully, they were probably hurt. Even if they were seemingly perfect, you’ve got to undo that, and recognize ways you dishonored them. Because if they were perfect, you don’t really need a savior.
Honoring not only involves forgiving your parents, but also validating who they are.
That one’s going to cost you.
Not only have you got to forgive them, but you’ve also got to ask the Lord to show them to you as He created them. If you’re still upset with them, you probably don’t see them as God sees them. And they can’t come into who God created them to be while you wear those lenses.
Once you get hold of that, all the baggage you are carrying will fall off of you like a jacket. Because once the Lord gives you a vision of who your parents are, you’ll start to be able to intercede for them to come into the same freedom you desire.
I encourage you to pray and ask the Lord to break your heart for who He created your parents to be. For how He created them. Ask Him to show you that. Then intercede for them to come back into that place. That’s what honoring is all about.
When you start praying for your parents, instead of judging them, your world is going to change radically.