Honoring Your Parents
“Honor your parents.” I can’t recall the number of times I heard this phrase while growing up. At that time, honoring your parents meant obeying and respecting them at all times. However, in adulthood, honoring our parents goes beyond these two actions. In this stage of life we understand everything so much better. We recognize the struggles our parents might have undergone to ensure we had everything.
Nevertheless, many do not understand how to honor their guardians or parents practically. For others, the need to honor their parents is not felt because of the difficult relationships they have with them. Some people don’t see eye to eye with their parents.
Despite such difficulties, the holy book still commands us to honor our parents. So, how can you honor them and why is it necessary to do so?
The Importance of Honoring Your Parents
Honoring our parents is an important key to a morally upright society, in my opinion. In doing so, you recognize that there is an authority above you, to whom you remain morally accountable. Many studies have shown that men who have grown up without parents or anyone to honor are at more risk of turning out contrary to everything that society expects of them. Similarly, their female counterparts are at more risk of becoming promiscuous early in life or falling into unhealthy relationships.
The importance of honoring our parents makes better sense when we stop to think about what it represents in regards to the child-parent relationship. It is the ultimate representation of having good character and what that should look like. Furthermore, it is a way to express love and care for the people who nurtured and raised us.
Remember, if your children grow to witness you honoring your parents, chances are that they will reciprocate it to you in the future. Thus, in honoring them, you are planting a seed that will bear admirable fruits in the future. Who wouldn’t want to be loved, cared for, and respected by their children for many years after their childhoods?
So how can we show reverence to our mothers and fathers? I have included a few realistic tips to get your thoughts turning.
Show Respect in Every Way
“Respect is earned and it is a two way street.”
You may have heard this saying, but don’t feel it needs to be assigned to your parents.
Your mother and father need not earn or show respect to you so that you can honor them. You can consider it a one way street in this case, as it is a commandment, which we must abide by. And we should obey it by our actions in addition to how we speak to our parents.
Always use a respectful tone when talking to parents and mind your words. A disrespectful tone could worsen your relationship with your father or mother. Even worse, it could be a sign of dishonor no matter how important your message was.
Honor does not end at speaking. It extends to listening. Many people don’t pay attention to what others say, and even if they do, they are not listening actively. The more we listen to our parents, the more we will gain wisdom. No parents want their child to suffer, so you can expect that they will guide you on how to tackle life’s challenges. Being honest is also a sign that they can trust you.
Personalize the Honor Gestures
If you have run out of ideas about how best to honor your mother and father, you can ask them. Seek their opinions about what makes them feel honored. Although it could take them a while to answer you, you would be a step closer towards obtaining a personalized list of what to do to show reverence to them. You may go even further and honor them separately if they have varying opinions about how best to honor them.
Keep Contact
Going mute on your mother and father is the opposite of honoring them. It would be best if you stay in communication with them as a way of honoring them. No matter how far or near you are to them, ensure that you always check on them. Thanks to technology and the internet these days, it is always possible to keep in touch regardless of geographical barriers.
Avoid Trashing Their Values
Every family is unique. The values that steer one could be extremely different from those of the other. This means that you might hold very different values and ideologies from your parents, which is perfectly okay. However, you do not have to always express your negative perspectives about their stance. You may disagree once in a while on matters, but learn to appreciate their views. I would avoid topics that cause a lot of heated conversations with your parents, and try to maintain a good relationship.
Always Support Them
Support does not always mean finances. A great way to support and honor your mother and father is by taking care of them. They raised us to be productive adults and become independent. When their work is done and they retire, they might become more dependent on their children. Thus, supporting them is a great way of assuring them that you will not forsake their needs at retirement.
Provide for Them
Parents provide for their children until they are financially stable. It is only honorable to return the favor and cater to some of their financial needs. You could send them some money, take over some of their bills, or even gift them occasionally as a way of providing them with financial support.
Forgive Them
No mother or father is perfect in their children’s eyes. In the course of raising you, your parents might have made decisions you did not like or even uttered words that may have hurt you. Such incidences are the genesis of challenging parent-child relationships. However, by forgiving and showing grace to them, honor is expressed.
Summary
Parents are an important part of their children’s lives. Most of them make sacrifices to ensure their offspring live a good life. The best way to thank and show them an appreciation for their deeds is by honoring them. Regardless of how strenuous the relationship with your mother or father might have been, you should use any of these realistic tips to show them reverence. Remember, what you do honor and care for your parents might be reciprocated to you by your own children!