The first four commandments have to do with our relationship with God. The final six deal with our relationships with people. In the commandments that follow this one, we find “You must not murder.” “You must not commit adultery.” “You must not steal.” “You must not testify falsely against your neighbor.” “You must not covet.”
Before God deals with other human relationships, however, He begins with the family. “Honor your father and your mother.” The family is very important to God. Few things can bring us as much pleasure in life as our families. And few things can bring us as much pain in life as our families. Kids have problems with parents. Parents have problems with kids. Kids have problems with one another. Parents have problems with one another. Often at the same time.
But we must never lose sight of the family’s importance. God created the family dynamic. Our very existence as a society is contingent on the success of the family. As I’ve said before, a family can survive without the nation, but a nation cannot survive without the family.
Maybe that’s why Satan hates it so much and does everything he can to undermine it. Tragically, in today’s twisted times, mothers and fathers often are not even around to honor. Especially fathers. A man and a woman faithfully raising their children together is becoming less and less the norm.
I remember that I moved around a lot when I was a kid. I came from a divorced home, and it caused a little bit of scandal each time we relocated. “He’s from a broken home,” people would whisper. It was a bit of a rarity in those days. Today, coming from a stable home is almost as rare. “What? Your mom and dad are still together? What’s with that?”
We tamper with God’s order at our own peril. The fifth commandment isn’t simply a reminder to kids; it’s a call to action for all God’s people to prioritize the cornerstone institution He created.
You don’t need to see the latest statistics and studies to tell you the impact of broken homes and dishonored families. You can see it in your neighborhood. You can see it in your church. You can see it in your local schools. Maybe you can see it in your own family, extended or nuclear.
The fifth commandment is a reminder to put the best interests of our spouse, our kids, and our parents ahead of our own desires and wants. It’s a reminder to honor our commitments to the people closest to us, especially when things get rocky. It’s a reminder to embrace the responsibilities of parenthood. It’s a reminder to forgive the people whose closeness to us makes it easier for them to hurt us. It’s a reminder to swallow our pride and take the necessary steps of reconciliation.
When we honor our father and mother, we honor the family. And when we honor the family, we honor God.
