HONOR AND TRAINING

Have you noticed the disrespect that parents are treated with by many of the young people of our era? A friend said to me yesterday that she just wished she could be in the same room with her grandchildren for more than 10 minutes without wishing they would leave. When I asked why, she told me they were just rude.

God instructs us in Ephesians 6:1-4 (NIV) Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. "Honor your father and mother"—which is the first commandment with a promise— "that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth". Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.

It seems a lot of parents today want their kids to know about the first part of this where they get honor, but do they recognize the part about not exasperating their children.

I looked up the word exasperate and this is what it said: to irritate intensely; infuriate.

Here is a list of was to exasperate your children:

1.) Telling them God's Word for their lives but not applying it to your own.
2.) Yelling about everything they do.
3.) Never giving them credit for being good.
4.) Not being the adult in a situation.
5.) Arguing with your child.
6.) Calling them names (that you would be offended if someone called you).
7.) Teasing beyond it being fun for them.
8.) Calling attention to their failures in front of other adults.
9.) Making promises you break (not just on good things, but even on punishments)
Matthew 5:37 Simply let your 'Yes' be 'Yes,' and your 'No,' 'No'; anything beyond this comes from the evil one.
10.) Forgetting what they tell you.

The interesting thing is that none of us would take these things from someone else, but I have seen lots of parents do them to their children. Maybe, if we did not exasperate our children, they could grow up showing more honor and would thereby have a long enjoyable life on earth.

Think about it, pray about it. If the shoe fits, wear it, if not.......Praise God!