The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1938-11-03


thy mother: that thy days may be long
upon the land which the Lord thy God
giVeth thee.-ExoduS 20:12.
The splendid obedience of parents
to their children has been pointed
out as one of the remarkable de-
velopments of modern life. No, we
have not made mistake in writing
or in typesetting. We mean just
what we say-the obedience of par
ents to their children. In all too
many homes Gods order has been
reversed and instead of honoring
and obeying their parents, children
Cloth young and old) have taken
the place of boss" and mother
and father must obey if they want
peace and rest.
The need for our lesson of today
is both great and acute. The future
happiness of hundreds of thousands
of children (Eph. $50 and the pres
ent welfare of thousands of neglect
ed and boss-ridden parents will de-
pend on the intelligence and faith
fitness with which this lesson is
taught in our churches, and the hon.
esty of heart with which men and
women study and receive its truth.
/. The Command of God (Exod.
20:12).
The first and most important con-
sideration to come before US is
what is the mind and will of the
Maker of US all regarding this mat
ter of the relation between parents
and children? His words are plain
we are to honor" our fathers and
our mothers.
The word "honor" carries with it
a great many things, but perhaps
the three outstanding elements are
respect, obedience, and affection.
We should look up to them with
high regard, obey them as long as
they have the authority over us, and
show true affection for them.
ii. The Example of Jesus duke
2:46-52).
The fact that Jesus was God man
fest in the flesh only enhances the
glory of His conduct. He who is
divine presents an example of obedi-
ence and consideration both as boy
and man which we do well to emu
late.
l. AS a boy duke 2:46-52). The
boy Jesus, increasing ''in wisdom
and stature and in favor WIN EUo
and man." w. 52) had come to His
twelfth year and with His parents
had gone up to Jerusalem to cele-
brate the Passover. There moved
in His heart the conviction that He
must now be about His Fathers
business-an altogether proper and
commendable purpose but one
which resulted for the moment in
separation from His parents. This
was far more serious than physi-
cal separation, for we read that they
did not understand Him ". SOY.
Tragic indeed are the consequences
of our failure to understand our chill
dren. Notice, however, that Jesus
did not withdraw Himself from their
watch care, nor refuse to obey them
even though they failed to under
stand Him. Equally tragic are the
results of hasty and bitter separa-
tons brought about by the disobedi-
ence of children.
2, As a man (John 1926, 2O.
The value of our lesson will be
greatly reduced if we see only the
responsibility of children while they
are young We are the children of
our parents as long as we and they
live. Being grown up and having a
family of ones own does not relieve
one of the precious responsibility of
care for ones parents. Jesus was
dying on the cross, His brethren
apparently still regarded Him in UNI
belief, and His mother now needed
a son to care for her. Even in His
dying agony Jesus remembers to
commit her to the care of His be-
loved disciple, John. One marvels
at the carelessness and hardness of
heart that viii permit men and
women who have time and money
for everything else and yet will neg
lect their aged parents and even
shunt them off into a public institu-
ton for care. Notice the premise
that accompanies the command of
God (F;xod. 20:l2; Eph $50 If
that is the reward of those who do
right, what do you think will be the
punishment of those who dlsobey
God?
iii. The Admonition OF Paul (Eph.
GID.
This matter of honoring and obey
ing parents lis right, says Paul. 1t
is the Lords way Only if parents
command their children to do wick
edncss would there be ground for
disobedience to parents. Apart from
such circumstances every parent
has the right to expect the child's
obedience.
There is tremendously important
truth on the other side of the pic
ture. Parents are not to provoke
their children to anger, to disrespect
or disobedience. How much we need
Gods grace at that point. 1t is SO
easy to say and do things that need
lessly iTritate our children. 1t is so
convenient TO nag at a careless
child. Often we expect more Of
them than their age will justify. We
are apt to punish them in a spirit of
anger or revenge and thus to de-
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