Ephesians 6:1-4 - Don't Provoke - Encourage
God doesn’t leave us hanging. He gives us clear standards and expectations. God has a Moral Code. His ethical standards and what we do with them have earthly and eternal consequences. For instance, here’s a Bible standard that you can see has a significant impact on our communities and organizations, “...rulers make a grave mistake when they give great authority to foolish people and low positions to people of proven worth” (Ecclesiastes 10:6). It matters who we elect to local, state, and federal government. It matters who we put in charge of our churches.
To be clear, I’m not claiming to be something I’m not. I’m a work in progress and while I know the good path, my challenge is to stay on it. It’s a daily process and I’m working at forming better habits to keep me on the right path.
As children of our parents and as children of God we see two principles in this brief passage from Almighty God. The first is that the children (us) are to obey our parents. And the second is really a result of the first, we are to honor our parents. Disobedience and dishonoring of our parents is not the mark of the child of God.
God’s children are obedient and honoring to their earthly parents. As a child of God, I must obey and honor Father God. Notice there is no expiry date to this rule.
But yes, the Bible makes clear that we should grow up - that’s God’s design. We move from obedience as a young child to a life of honoring our moms and dads. When you marry you leave your father and mother and you are joined to your wife into one. That is a mysterious new beginning of a new family. And yet you are still your parents’ child. You are God’s child first and foremost. So you must continue to honor your parents (and God).
I’m reminded of a few things this morning. We cannot understand the activity of God. He’s planning and moving and growing His people. He designs and builds and prepares and prunes and if necessary, tears down. He provides resources for what He wants to build, and He provides the means to destroy what He wants to be removed. He inspires and gives vision at just the right time to those who are made just for his good plans. And I’m reminded that God is a far better parent than I am. God gently reminds us we are sinners in need of his good path. He is not abusive or judgemental - but He is clear and consistent.
God asks, “Are you sick and tired of doing things your way? Ready for the good life? No? Yes?” And God shows us the right way and His path, over and over. For me, it has been a constant reminder over the last year of Psalm 101. And it is a reminder that we all serve the same Master - He has no favorites (Ephesians 6:9).
Okay, back to this passage. Notice here that the New Covenant of Christ supersedes the old way of Moses’ laws and obligations to the law. And yet the standard from the Holy One remains the same. The Christian Way is like that. We are not obligated to the law - and yet the Holy Spirit’s standards for our behavior are similar to - I would say better and higher than the old because it is Jesus' way.
We are free men and women. Yet we are free to obey God’s way rather than our natural way. It’s a new day. Let’s resolve to be on God’s path.
And notice the right mindset for dads. We are prone to provoke our children with anger by the way we treat them. It’s gotta be a two-way street. It’s hard to obey and honor a difficult, nit-picking, manipulative, overbearing, demanding, rude, obnoxious, greedy, and provocative dad. Don't be that dad.
Be a dad like our Father. Loving, strong, supportive, hard-working, creative, encouraging, and honest. The way that we discipline and instruct our children must be the Way of Jesus Christ, for we are God’s children.
Lord Jesus, please help me to know what to do today. As a dad and as a grandpa. And as a son. Holy Spirit please guide my thoughts and actions and bless my family and friends today. Amen.
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