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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 be well with you and you may live long on the earth.”

Ephesians 6:1–3, MEV

Honor and respect are important parts of our character, and we are reminded of this often throughout Scripture. This is why God gives a promise within the commandment. Honor your father and mother is the first of the second table of commandments. The first table addresses our relationship with God, and the second table focuses on our relationships with others. In honoring parents, our focus shifts, and it may prevent us from doing things we would not want them to know about. There are many people I have met who are foul-mouthed, but would never use foul language in front of their mother or grandmother. Unfortunately, we often limit the boundaries of this to the perimeter of one’s hearing, but, over time, we have forgotten the blessings of these words. In Christ, the calling is not just to limit our negative actions around our parents to show honor or respect, but to extend it to all aspects of our lives, so we may be a light to the world and lead many into our Lord’s peace.

Let us pray. I thank you, my heavenly Father, through Jesus Christ, your dear Son, that you have kept me this night from all harm and danger, and I ask you to protect me this day also from sin and every evil, that in all I do today, I may please you. For into your hands, I commend myself, my body and soul, and all that is mine. Let your holy angel watch over me, that the wicked foe have no power over me. Amen.