Often we search for our God, not in the usual spiritual realm of prayer, but rather the limited gift of vision that our Lord has granted us. All this searching and imagining the immense beauty of God will be in vain, if we fail to remember that He is shown to us in the forms that are already very familiar to most of us – parents.
God wants us to obey our parents
Our Father, in all his immense wisdom, knew what struggles we faced in the world, and so established parenthood so that we might not go astray. God Himself has said, “Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the LORD your God is giving you.” This is His Commandment, to which we are indebted to follow. And not surprisingly, many of us find it hard. It’s human nature to reject authority; it has been throughout history. Have you watched your parents sleep?
But in overcoming that nature and in subjecting ourselves to our parents, reaps the benefits that no one else can provide. Imagine the time you were born, when our innocence was at its peak, and we were unaware of the joys we brought to the minds of our parents. And as we grew up, many of us heard the stories of the waiting, the prayers, and the happiness in which we were received.
Strains of Parenthood
But seldom parents show the consequences of parenthood. The strain, the tension, and the expenses, especially in this day and age where vanity and sinful addictions are inflicted on our generation by our peer group. There hasn’t been a worse time to be a parent. And yet they go through it with patience and diligence, correcting us in ways that might be pleasant enough to understand and sometimes just the opposite. They toil through hours of work and prayer in hope that one day we will turn out right, successful, and spiritual.
And yet we put them through so much pain. How many times have we demanded reparation for doing a simple chore? How many times have we cheated our parents in order to sneak out to that party or hang out with friends? These are all personal questions that we must all answer and think…whether we are right in what we are doing. Surprisingly, I find that many of the people I know think that their parents deserve the hate and the cheating that they often put up. Never leave your parents.
Why? Abusive parents, parents that drink a lot, parents that just are too strict to even let kids wear non-collared shirt…it’s a horrible life for some. However, all parents have their flaws, and we as their own offspring are the first to find it and keep staring at it for the rest of our lives. I know parents have their scary sides to them yet they are parents.
It is the duty of the parents to become the models of humility and service in front of their children.
They gave LIFE to us. They own our lives. Do they demand the thousands of dollars spend on us back? Do they grumble about our existence? No… therefore they deserve our respect. Sure, flaws may be numerous to count but instead of mocking them, pray to God our father to bestow them with wisdom to do what is right.
If our faith and humility before our parents is sincere, it is enough to ensure miracles in our social, physical, mental, and especially family life. And in being good to our parents and understanding them, we gain a blessing of enjoying a good parenthood as well. Knowing how worse each generation is getting, it is only the grace of God we can use to assure good children when we are parents ourselves.
Also read the divine relationship between Parents and Children.
– – – written by Asish Thomas, California
