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Are we teaching our children today how to show respect to one another and to love God with all our heart? Moses writes in Deuteronomy 6:7 that it is our daily job to teach our children. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up.

I know as a parent just as our Father in Heaven is our parent, that you love, care and try to do what is best for your children. And it is out of love that we correct them when they have made the wrong decision or have chosen the wrong path in life.

In Hebrews 12:6-9 Paul said that even our Father in Heaven chastens His children out of love which through correction the child pays and shows the parent respect.

6 For whom the LORD loves He chastens, And scourges every son whom He receives.”
7 If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom a father does not chasten?
8 But if you are without chastening, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate and not sons.
9 Furthermore, we have had human fathers who corrected us, and we paid them respect. Shall we not much more readily be in subjection to the Father of spirits and live?

It begs the question today do children show respect to their parents? All you have to do is look at what is being taught to our children on television to get your answer. The Simpson’s show comes to mind with the son who back talks his parents, uses unacceptable language and yet Bart thinks everything he says to his parents is funny in his mind. This is just one show of many today that show such disrespect to a parent and to others even if it is just a cartoon. Have you noticed even in the television commercials or shows that are on television that the Father or Mother or both are shown as buffoons instead of someone the child looks up to as a role model? I literally hate any show or commercial that is teaching our children and grandchildren such abominable things and I find myself quickly turning the channel. It is nearly impossible to find something suitable to have our children or grandchildren and even ourselves to watch on television today. Not to mention what a time waster it is. It has become a Sodom and Gomorrah nation. How times have changed since we were children ourselves. We now live in a nation that doesn’t respect or Honor God at all.

God says that we as parents are to teach our children His ways and in doing so we are teaching them the right way to live. One of my fondest memories was a game my Mother and Dad made for us as children. It was a monthly calendar that hung near the refrigerator and each time we accomplished a task such as making our bed, brushing our teeth, taking the trash out, helping with the dishes or using correct manners we received a gold or silver star depending on how well we did. The one with the most gold stars received some recognition and a small gift at the end of the month. Funny how I don’t remember what the gift was that we received I’m sure it wasn’t much. The main objective was to teach us responsibilities as well as manners like “please, thank you, you’re welcome, may I, yes sir, no sir, yes mam, and no mam. Well, you can see what I’m getting at. With three sisters and three brothers someone was always trying to purposely trip you up when the family was gathered at the dinner table and especially when something had to be asked to be passed to one another. Did we learn to say “thank you or please?” Yes, we certainly did! It became a very valuable lesson that has been carried through out my life. I didn’t really understand the impact of what they were teaching each of us until my senior graduation when a new award was given. I was chosen by the teachers and principal of the school as the “most courteous” girl. That award hangs in my office today and is a reminder of how my parent’s lessons taught me to honor and respect them as well as all adults.

The Apostle Paul says in Ephesians 6:1 Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.

So I have to ask you are you teaching your children to honor and respect you as a parent?

As parents ourselves there are simple things we can do. I’m sure to some of you this is nothing new so bare with me. We can teach our children through reading the word of God to obey, honor and respect others whether it is ourselves as parents, grandparents or even those in authority. Scripture says that we are to respect the gray headed old man and that we are to give them honor because of their wisdom.

Leviticus 19:32 You shall rise before the gray headed and honor the presence of an old man, and fear your God: I am the LORD.

• We can teach our children to obey our Lord and Savior and our Heavenly Father and show them how to honor our Father in heaven through obeying and living by His statutes, judgments and commandments through our example.

• We can explain to them that our Father in Heaven loves all His children and that He chastens those that He loves, just as a parent chastens their child when they disobey. And as children when they obey their parents God says it is very pleasing to Him in Col. 3:20 Children, obey your parents in all things, for this is well pleasing to the Lord. NKJV

• You can plan a special project with your child or children and make it fun for them so that they are excited to participate just as my parents did for each of us. Give them something to look forward to during the week but yet you are teaching them responsibility that they will use when they are older.

Through these projects you can teach your children the right way to live and by doing this you are creating a lifetime of lessons and memories.