Verse 1 “‘Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.'” (NLT) Our obedience is evidence of honoring our parents. We can’t say that we respect and honor our parents if we’re not obeying them. This is a good lesson to teach our kids!
That second verse has a parenthesis that says (this is the first commandment with a promise). So not only is this a rule/commandment/law but it actually yields a promise. It’s not just a commandment to follow and nothing happens after that. It says that God attached a promise to this one. The fact that there is a promise attached to this commandment should make us excited to obey it. It’s like telling your kids to clean up the living room and they will get a snack or some kind of reward. That makes them more excited to clean up the living room because of the promise of the reward that’s coming. And this promise is outlined in verse three where it says “that it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land.” So basically, if you do not obey your parents, your life will not go well for you. This is just the way God designed it. If we show kindness and obedience to our parents, we are assured by God that in this life, our lives will be well off. Our lives will prosper and flourish. Our lives will be on a trajectory of good things coming.
Verse 4 “‘Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.'” (NLT) Parents should not irritate their children with unreasonable, and severe punishment. This will only stir up hatred in their children and when they are old enough, their children will turn away.
A couple of months ago my husband and I went through a parenting seminar through our church that was led by a couple who travels the country leading the seminars. And in the seminar, the husband said it is very important for parents to discipline their children, but, there is a way to do that which always leads the child back to Jesus. They talked about spanking, obviously age-appropriate spanking, and how to inflict a spanking in a discipline that also shows the love of God. It was very interesting to me. The husband would put the child on his knee and have a switch that he spanked once with. Then he would sit the child on his knee and give him/her a hug and explain why the child had to get a spanking. That the point of the spanking was to teach the child the way in which they should go, and if they do not walk in the right path that leads to good things, then consequences come their way. The husband said it is so important after discipline, no matter what the discipline is, to sit down and hold your child and explain your love for them and why that discipline had to happen. So good!
The part about servants… Let me explain this. Back then it was actually an honorable thing to be a servant/slave. This is not like slaves forced to work grueling work. It was actually an appointment like you and I going to our daily jobs. So when they use the word slaves, I’ll interchange that word with employee/worker.
Slaves back then were guaranteed housing and food. That was their pay for their work. It was not punishment by any means.
Verses 5-6 “‘Bondservants, obey your earthly masters with fear and trembling, with a sincere heart, as you would Christ, not by the way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but as bondservants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart,'” (NLT) They are saying that we should obey the authority (back then they were called masters, today they are called bosses) with respect and sincerity. When we serve our masters/bosses faithfully, we honor God. God has chosen us to be a servant of our boss and we have a duty to be respectful not just in front of their face but behind their back as well.
God appoints all authority in society. So all of our bosses have been appointed by God to be in that position and we have been appointed to be their servant/employee. We are supposed to serve our boss as we would serve God. It’s easy to see our boss as a human being with flaws. There can be lots of things we don’t like about our boss and that can hinder the way we serve. We tend to treat people according to what we see. But God is saying, I need you to see past the human part of this and serve your boss just as you would serve me.
Verse 8 “‘knowing that whatever good anyone does, this he will receive back from the Lord, whether he is a bondservant or is free.'” (NLT) We all have duties and services that will be judged and rewarded in heaven according to the integrity in our hearts.
Verse 10 “‘Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might.'” This is not actually our own ability to be strong. This verse is talking about the strength that is only supplied through God. We should ask God for the supply of strength wherever we are weak and in answer to our prayers. God promises that His power will be given to us.
Verse 12 “’For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.'” (NLT) Isn’t that so interesting that the writer, Paul, gets so descriptive here? It lets us know that our difficulties with the devil are far greater than if we had to fight with men. No human power can withstand the devil. None. That’s some intense stuff he just listed there. We can’t fight an enemy that we can’t see. The Lord arms us for fighting every kind of attack. And it’s really just foolish for us to desire revenge on people who harm us. People who annoy us are nothing more than flaming darts thrown by the hand of Satan. To wrestle with flesh and blood is useless and just leaves us wounded. The real enemy goes undetected when we are fighting with our spouse, our family, our neighbors, our coworkers, or anyone else that frustrates or hurts us.
Paul is giving us this warning, not to stir up fear – that’s what the devil is trying to do – but to help us stay alert. Not to be overwhelmed with the pain or frustration or hurt but to summon up the courage and diligence to seek God here for help and for the strength to keep going. Because the enemy is invisible, we are in some serious danger. But, we have a promise of victory when we stand fighting with God’s armor. We must not depend on our own security/strength, but prepare ourselves for hard, painful, dangerous conflicts. We live in a dark world that caves to the devil’s cruel and wicked and selfish ways.
Prayer: Dear Heavenly Father, we thank you for who You are and we pray for Your Spirit to equip us and remind us of your truths not just when we are tested but at all times so that we may walk in your will. We want what is best for our lives. We want to be a light to those who are walking in darkness. Help us to teach our kids the right way to walk in respect and honor to their parents and why it’s important to obey their parents – so that their life is filled with the right things and blessed. Holy Spirit, give us patience in times of anger that we may not provoke our children with unreasonable punishment. Help us to take the time to discipline our children and explain why they are being disciplined. Help us to always show your love in our discipline, Jesus, that our children may always be pointed back to you. Help them to remember this as they get older so they will know the right path to take in life.
Help me to be respectful and honor my boss and my future bosses at all times. Help me to serve them with sincerity, knowing you appointed this person to be above me, Lord.
Help me to live with integrity in all that you called me to do today. Strengthen me in all of my weaknesses, Lord. Where I need patience, fill me with your steadfast spirit to pause in those moments when I want to react. When I’m tempted to focus on the here and now, open my eyes to see the future reward that awaits when I walk in the right way according to Your Word. When I’m tempted to be selfish with my time or my “desires and priorities”, remind me of your priorities and desires for my life, Lord.
Help me to see past flesh and blood and recognize all my battles are against satan, his invisible hand, trying to trick me into reacting out of my flesh/sinful nature instead of choosing God’s way of love and forgiveness. Help me stay alert and not get caught up in a bunch of fear and ‘what if’ scenarios. Help me to live in full trust of my Good Good Father and Savior Jesus, who always has my good in mind. Remind me that I’m standing from a place of victory, always, when I choose to live according to Your Word, God. In Jesus’ name, Amen.