Everyone to whom much was given, of him much will be required, Luke 12:48
One really doesn’t appreciate what they have until they experience life without the things they took for granted which they always had. Wise people learn from other’s mistakes and misfortunes. Fools rush in with no thought if the consequences, and pain can be a cruel teacher and also a friend as a reminder of past mistakes. We all are given so much more than we realize until we crash into the depths. What gives us such an entitlement attitude? How much does one take with them when they die? Certainly the Egyptians tried to take many things with them to the ‘next world’, only for those items to be plundered by grave robbers sometimes thousands of years later, or immediately by the those that actually laid them into the grave.
As one gets older there becomes a greater reminder of what awaits all of us as the funerals become more frequent that we attend as those slightly older than your own age and even younger die around you.
And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment, Hebrews 9:27
There can be wisdom found among some of the elders. Those that have spent their lives truly walking with God, not religiously …but in heart and soul and with humility. In those wise elders exist a perspective that has cost them more than most will ever encounter. Scars, and truths were won with great effort and years of persistence. And if they communed with the Spirit of God for many years … then they have great value to the real seekers of wisdom. They become great warriors of the Spirit and are highly hated by the enemy. Maybe that’s why we see such an upsurge of euthanasia being touted as the ‘good thing’ by the Global Governments who are under the fallen’s control who HATE humanity and the seed of the Creator. I urge you to be one who seeks out conversations with the elderly. Ask them the hardest questions you can think of, and sit back and really listen to their responses and stories.
Why would God even give this commandment? What is it’s purpose? What are the deeper implications?
Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you. Exodus 20:12
In today’s culture this is greatly missing. What would be the consequences of not doing this commandment? How would it effect the person, family, community, and area they are living in? And what exactly does “honor’ actually mean? What did it mean to the ancient Hebrews to the ones Moses brought this commandment? In Hebrew the translated English word ‘honor’ is כָּבַד which by transliteration is ‘kabad or kabed’ and is much more diverse than the simple ‘honor’ we translate it as. Here are a few ways this word is translated …abounding (1), achieve honor (1), became fierce (1), became heavy (1), boasting (1), burdensome (1), dim (1), distinguished (3), dull (2), enjoy your glory (1), glorified (4), glorify (7), glorious (2), glorious things (1), grave (1), grew strong (1), harden (1), hardened (6), heavier (2), heavy (6), held in honor (1), honor (17), honor you greatly (1), honorable (4), honored (19), honoring (2), honors (5), indeed honor (1), laid burdens (1), made my heavy (1), made our heavy (2), made your heavy (3), make (1), make it glorious (1), makes himself rich (1), multiply (2), nobles (1), respected (1), stopped (1), weigh (1), weigh heavily (1), went heavily (1). It’s the same word used to describe God hardening the heart of the Pharaoh. Obviously it is much more serious of a matter than a flippant attitude given to most parents by their children.
To actually ‘honor’ your parents is a much more serious matter to God, than is EVER realized by children UNTIL they have children of their own. This is where life experience becomes ‘revelation’ to so many individuals as then do they just begin to slightly understand their parents and actually appreciate them.
We are SO young in the light of the eons of the past and in scope of the eternal future. This earthly life is but a brief puff of smoke, and quickly blown away. Yet … ‘now’ is all we have. And those who have had many many ‘nows’ hopefully have learned a few things to pass on to others on the current ‘now’ path. In 1 Timothy 5 Paul tells Timothy to honor the elders, especially those who wrestle with the Word and teach others to wrestle as well in the life with Christ. We should not take lightly the elders in our midst but give them the proper weighty consideration they are due.
What is the Spirit teaching you? What treasures has He had you dig for? Become His student. Listen well and learn. Honor your elders.