Saturday Scripture Speaks - Our Parents

Proverbs 28:24 (NLT) says, "Anyone who steals from his father or mother and says, 'What's wrong with that?' is no better than a murderer."

This is a Scripture passage that I came across this week as I read in my One Year Bible (God Sightings). It is part of the reading for November 30, lest anyone should think that I pulled out something to throw at them personally.

Wow! "no better than a murderer!" That's pretty scary. The Lord says in Revelation 21:8 (NIV), "But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars--their place will be in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death." With a warning as dire as this, how can we not tremble in holy fear?

How does one steal from his/her parents? I think there are a multitude of ways this can, and is, done. There is the outright stealing of their income and material goods. There is the more subtle way of stealing their health from them by asking (demanding?) that they do difficult things for their grown children that they really can't do physically (or emotionally) without landing in an early grave. There is the art of stealing their joy. I don't think there's a lot of explanation needed for that one.

The Bible talks a lot about how we are to treat family, parents in particular. In fact, one of the Ten Commandments: "Regard (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." Exodus 20:12 (AMP)  Know why that's in quotes? Because GOD wrote them with His own finger! They are the direct words of GOD Himself and are not to be taken lightly.

Deuteronomy 5:16 (AMP) Honor your father and your mother, as the Lord your God commanded you, that your days may be prolonged and that it may go well with you in the land which the Lord your God gives you.
Matthew 15:4 (AMP) For God commanded, Honor your father and your mother, and, He who curses or reviles or speaks evil of or abuses or treats improperly his father or mother, let him surely come to his end by death.

Matthew 15:5 (AMP) But you say, If anyone tells his father or mother, What you would have gained from me [that is, the money and whatever I have that might be used for helping you] is already dedicated as a gift to God, then he is exempt and no longer under obligation to honor and help his father or his mother.

Matthew 19:19 (AMP) Honor your father and your mother, and, You shall love your neighbor as [you do] yourself.

Mark 7:10 (AMP) For Moses said, Honor (revere with tenderness of feeling and deference) your father and your mother, and, He who curses or reviles or speaks evil of or abuses or treats improperly his father or mother, let him surely die.

Mark 10:19 (AMP) You know the commandments: Do not kill, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not bear false witness, do not defraud, honor your father and mother.

These are only a few passages from the Bible regarding how we are to consider our parents. There are more, both from the New Testament and from the Old. Google them - read them - meditate upon them - obey them.