Ephesians 6:1-4
Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. “Honor your father and mother” - which is the first commandment with a promise - “that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth. Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.
Reflection
Paul now moves on to another illustration of mutual submission. Paul uses the example of relationships between parents and children.
Paul instructs children to honor their parents by obeying them. He says they should do that because there is a commandment that addresses that very issue. He also says that they should obey the commandment to honor their mother and father because it is the first commandment that has a promise along with it. If they obey their parents they will live long and prosper.
Then Paul turns to the parents and instructs them to respect their children. They should treat their children in such a way to prevent provoking and exasperating them. They are to teach and train their children, not misuse and abuse them.
The relationship between parents and children should be one of mutual submission.
How do you think family life would be different in most homes if families lived by mutual submission between children and parents?
