Exodus 20:12Regard (treat with honor, due obedience, and courtesy) your father and mother, that your days may be long in the land the Lord your God gives you.
How we treat our parents is the first Commandment with a promise, and the promise is that your days will be long, which means you’ll live a long life. If you’re fortunate to have one or more of your parents still living, then our title and Scripture verse go hand in hand. When we were children, our parents took care of us the best they could. They provided food, clothes, shelter, and guidance. That’s not say that mistakes and some wrongs weren’t committed, yet God brought us through it all and we survived. My Pastor once said when it comes to parents, it’s about their position and not their performance. This was something that really helped me deal with some childhood issues I had. When I look at our Scripture, I think about how the roles not only in my life, but in those around me have reversed and now aging parents are requiring us to be the caregiver (Proverbs 23:22). That role requires a lot of prayer and patience. If you have children of your own, then you know firsthand how being a parent is OJT and the only manual that covers how to raise them is the Bible. The Word of God tells how as fathers our role in rearing children is that we are to set the pattern for obedience in the family (Ephesians 6:4 AMPC). We’re going to make mistakes and not get it right all the time, yet God will give us grace for all of it. This entire journey is a step-by-step process that God has strategically orchestrated just for us (Ephesians 2:10 AMPC). It’s going to take trust and faith to make it (Psalms 31:1 AMPC).