THINK TOGETHER.
Do you honor your parents? In what ways?
READ TOGETHER
Proverbs 30:11. There are those who curse their fathers and do not bless their mothers.
Over the next four verses, Agur will vividly sketch a picture for us of a group of people that are both foolish and wicked. Verse by verse, he will describe them. The first description of this wicked group is that they curse their fathers and refuse to bless their mothers. Also, each of the next four verses will begin with the words there are those who. In Hebrew this is one word, the word for generation. Agur isn’t describing one individual but an entire generation of wicked people. Clearly he is talking about his own generation, but is he also talking about every generation, even our generation? Do we live in a society characterized by this kind of evil – cursing fathers and mothers? Um…yes, we do.
The Law of Moses strictly forbade the dishonoring of parents. To curse your parents was not childish disobedience, but willful defiance to the point of wishing your parents dead. The law’s penalty for this kind of disrespect? The death penalty (although there are no examples of this in scripture).
Jesus told a story about a son who cursed his father, the Prodigal Son. In this famous story, a younger brother demands his inheritance from his living father so that he can go out and spend it on selfish, prodigal (lavish) living. In doing so, this son is cursing his father. He is wishing him dead. Give me my inheritance now, I can’t wait for you to die. Later, the Apostle Paul warned Pastor Timothy about a generation that would choose to disobey their parents:
2 Timothy 3:1-5. 1But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. 2For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, 4treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people.
One of the characteristics of the last days is the character of its people. A generation that is allowed to disobey its parents is indicative of a generation that is full of self-love, pride, arrogance, ingratitude, and greed. Such children become heartless, ruthless, brutal adults. Which is exactly what Agur will show us over the next three verses. Bottom line: if a child can’t honor their parents, will they be able to honor anyone? Including God? Likely not.
Jesus is the eternal Son of God. God the Son. Throughout eternity from His Father’s side he eternally blessed the Heavenly Father. In his humanity, he never failed to bless his mother, Mary. He not only honored her in his life and death, but he also saved her, giving her the greatest blessing of all – his own indwelling eternal life by the Spirit. And that is the same gift he has given to all who have faith in him.
Your parents are a gift from God, but a gift that has been broken by sin and sin’s curse. There are no perfect parents. The truth is there are many parents that don’t deserve the honor and blessing that God demands from children. But like everything else for the Christian, we honor our parents as unto the Lord. Not because they always act like our Heavenly Father, but because we can always act like and image the Son of Heaven.
You: What is your attitude toward your parents? Does it need an adjustment?
You in Christ: How does union with Christ allow us to honor him as we honor our parents?
Christ in you: How can you actively bless your parents today?
Pray: Jesus, you honored your Father. Help me to trust you so that I can honor my parents too. Amen.
To Live is Christ 