We often hear about children respecting their parents, but what about the other way around? The Bible talks about the importance of honoring each other in family relationships, including how parents should treat their children. Let’s explore how respect is a two-way street in God’s design for family life.
Also Read: What Does The Bible Say About Wearing Pearls
What Does The Bible Say About Parents Respecting Their Child
Ephesians 6:1-3
“Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. “Honor your father and mother,” which is the first commandment with promise: “that it may be well with you and you may live long on the earth.””
This verse emphasizes the importance of children obeying and honoring their parents. It instructs children to listen to their parents’ guidance and follow their instructions, as it is a righteous act. By honoring their parents, children can experience a life of blessings and longevity.
The verse speaks to the biblical principle of respecting parental authority and recognizing the wisdom and love parents have for their children. It teaches children the value of obedience and emphasizes that respecting and honoring one’s parents is not only a commandment but also a pathway to a fruitful and fulfilling life.
Proverbs 6:20
“My son, keep your father’s command, and do not forsake the law of your mother.”
In this verse, the wisdom of a father is acknowledged, and the importance of a child following their parents’ instructions is emphasized. It advises children to value and uphold the teachings and commandments passed down from their parents, recognizing them as a source of guidance and protection.
By adhering to their parents’ teachings and laws, children demonstrate respect for their authority and the wisdom they have acquired through life experiences. This verse highlights the valuable role parents play in shaping a child’s character and fosters a sense of mutual trust and respect between parents and their children.
Proverbs 23:22
“Listen to your father who gave you life, and do not despise your mother when she is old.”
This verse emphasizes the importance of attentive listening and respect towards parents, particularly in their older years. Children are encouraged to value the wisdom and life-giving role their father played in bringing them into existence, and not to disregard or neglect their mother as she ages.
Through listening to their parents and showing empathy and care, children demonstrate gratitude for their parents’ sacrificial love and nurturing. This verse encourages a loving and supportive relationship between parents and adult children, characterized by respect, honor, and compassion.
Colossians 3:20
“Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord.”
This verse emphasizes the necessity for children to submit to their parents’ authority in all aspects of life. By obeying their parents, children please the Lord and demonstrate their faithfulness to God’s commandments.
The verse highlights the correlation between honoring and obeying parents and living a life that is pleasing to God. It encourages children to view obedience to their parents as an act of worship and as a reflection of their devotion to the Lord.
Proverbs 4:1-4
“Hear, my children, the instruction of a father, and give attention to know understanding; for I give you good doctrine: do not forsake my law. When I was my father’s son, tender and the only one in the sight of my mother, he also taught me, and said to me: “Let your heart retain my words; keep my commands, and live.”
In this verse, the importance of heeding a father’s instruction is emphasized. It calls on children to listen attentively and gain understanding from the teachings of their father. The verse acknowledges the valuable role of a father in imparting wisdom and passing down essential life principles to their children.
By cherishing and obeying their fathers’ words, children can experience the blessings of a fruitful life. The verse underscores the responsibility of fathers to provide guidance and instruction, and the obligation of children to receive it with open hearts and minds.
Proverbs 15:5
“A fool despises his father’s instruction, but he who receives correction is prudent.”
This verse highlights the consequences of disregarding a father’s instruction. It characterizes a person who disregards their father’s wisdom and advice as a fool. On the other hand, one who accepts correction and guidance from their father is deemed wise and sensible.
The verse emphasizes the importance of humility and teachability, recognizing that receiving correction and instruction from parents is beneficial and leads to wise decision-making. It encourages children to value the wisdom their fathers offer and to embrace correction as a means of personal growth and maturity.
Exodus 20:12
“Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long upon the land which the LORD your God is giving you.”
This verse, one of the Ten Commandments, calls for the honoring of father and mother. By honoring their parents, children can experience a long life and the blessings of the land given to them by the Lord. This commandment underscores the importance of showing respect and reverence towards parents.
The verse serves as a foundational principle for familial relationships, highlighting the role of children in honoring their parents’ authority. It reminds children that honoring parents is not only a moral obligation but also a key to experiencing the blessings and provision of God.
Proverbs 1:8-9
“My son, hear the instruction of your father, and do not forsake the law of your mother; for they will be a graceful ornament on your head, and chains about your neck.”
In this verse, the words of a father are seen as a source of valuable instruction and guidance. Children are encouraged to listen to their fathers and not abandon the teachings of their mothers, as this will bring them honor and adornment.
The verse suggests that the wisdom and instruction passed down from parents can serve as symbolic ornaments, signifying the righteousness and honor of their children. It emphasizes the significance of valuing and adhering to the teachings of parents for a blessed and dignified life.
Proverbs 13:1
“A wise son heeds his father’s instruction, but a scoffer does not listen to rebuke.”
This verse contrasts the attitudes of a wise son and a scoffer towards their father’s instruction. A wise son is attentive and receptive, heeding the guidance and correction from his father. In contrast, a scoffer refuses to listen to rebuke and rejects the wisdom offered by his father.
The verse underscores the importance of humility and wisdom in receiving correction and instruction. It encourages children to cultivate a teachable spirit and to value the guidance provided by their fathers. By doing so, they can grow in wisdom and understanding.
Proverbs 30:17
“The eye that mocks his father, and scorns obedience to his mother, the ravens of the valley will pick it out, and the young eagles will eat it.”
This verse presents a severe consequence for those who mock and disrespect their parents. It uses vivid imagery to depict the judgment that awaits those who scorn their father’s authority and refuse to obey their mother.
The verse serves as a warning against rebellious attitudes and disrespect towards parents, emphasizing the seriousness of dishonoring parental authority. It urges children to treat their parents with reverence and obedience, avoiding the destructive consequences that rebellion brings.
Proverbs 23:24-25
“The father of the righteous will greatly rejoice, and he who begets a wise child will delight in him. Let your father and your mother be glad, and let her who bore you rejoice.”
This verse speaks to the joy and delight a father experiences when he has a righteous and wise child. It expresses the happiness and deep satisfaction parents have when their children live according to godly principles and wisdom.
The verse encourages children to bring joy and gladness to their parents by living upright lives and making wise choices. It celebrates the bond between parents and children, highlighting the mutual delight and fulfillment that comes from walking in righteousness and wisdom.
Leviticus 19:3
“Each of you must respect your mother and father, and you must observe my Sabbaths. I am the LORD your God.”
In this verse, God commands His people to show respect to their mother and father, emphasizing the sacredness of the parent-child relationship. The verse also reminds them to observe the Sabbath as a sign of their devotion to the Lord.
By prioritizing both honor towards parents and obedience to God’s commandments, this verse highlights the intersection of human relationships and spiritual worship. It encourages children to integrate their love and respect for parents with their faith in God, acknowledging that both are expressions of their devotion to the Lord.
Proverbs 30:11
“There is a generation that curses its father and does not bless its mother.”
This verse acknowledges the existence of a rebellious generation that dishonors and speaks ill of their father while failing to bless their mother. It highlights the prevalence of disrespect and ingratitude towards parents in certain times and cultures.
The verse serves as a cautionary reminder of the consequences of a disrespectful and unappreciative attitude towards parents. It prompts children to examine their own hearts and strive to cultivate an attitude of honor and blessing towards their parents, even in a culture that may encourage rebellion.
Proverbs 10:1
“A wise son makes a glad father, but a foolish son is the grief of his mother.”
In this verse, the joy and gladness a father experiences as a result of having a wise son is contrasted with the sorrow and distress a mother endures because of a foolish son. It highlights the impact children have on the emotions and well-being of their parents.
The verse underscores the importance of wisdom and righteous living, as children who walk in wisdom bring joy and delight to their parents. It encourages children to pursue wisdom and make choices that reflect godly character, sparing their parents from unnecessary grief and sorrow.
Proverbs 20:20
“Whoever curses his father or his mother, his lamp will be put out in deep darkness.”
This verse warns against the severe consequences that follow those who curse or disrespect their parents. It suggests that those who dishonor their parents will experience darkness and destruction, symbolized by the extinguishing of their lamp.
The verse serves as a reminder of the gravity of dishonoring one’s parents, emphasizing the importance of showing respect and reverence. It encourages children to recognize the weightiness of their words and actions towards their parents, recognizing that their attitudes have spiritual and eternal implications.
Proverbs 19:26
“He who mistreats his father and chases away his mother is a son who causes shame and brings reproach.”
In this verse, the consequences of mistreating and driving away parents are highlighted. It suggests that children who exhibit such behavior bring shame upon themselves and subject themselves to reproach.
The verse underscores the significance of treating parents with kindness, respect, and gratitude. It urges children to consider the reputation and honor of their families, recognizing the detrimental effects of mistreating their parents both for themselves and their family legacy.
Proverbs 23:22-25
“Listen to your father who begot you, and do not despise your mother when she is old. Buy the truth, and do not sell it, also wisdom and instruction and understanding. The father of the righteous will greatly rejoice, and he who begets a wise child will delight in him. Let your father and your mother be glad, and let her who bore you rejoice.”
This passage emphasizes the importance of listening to and valuing the instruction of one’s parents, particularly in old age. It urges children not to disregard or neglect their mothers, recognizing the value of wisdom, instruction, and understanding that parents impart.
The verse celebrates the joy and delight experienced by fathers and mothers when their children walk in righteousness and wisdom. It encourages children to bring gladness and joy to their parents through their choices and actions, recognizing the immeasurable worth of parental guidance.
Proverbs 6:20-22
“My son, keep your father’s command, and do not forsake the law of your mother. Bind them continually upon your heart; tie them around your neck. When you roam, they will lead you; when you sleep, they will keep you; and when you awake, they will speak with you.”
In this verse, children are urged to diligently keep and obey their father’s command and to hold fast to their mother’s law. The figurative language of binding them upon the heart and tying them around the neck signifies the importance of internalizing and treasuring parental instruction.
The verse highlights the practical guidance and protection that come from honoring and obeying parents. It encourages children to view their parents’ teachings as a compass, guiding them in their daily decisions and being a constant source of wisdom and guidance.
Proverbs 15:20
“A wise son makes a father glad, but a foolish man despises his mother.”
This verse contrasts the influence and emotional impact of a wise son and a foolish person on their father and mother. A wise son brings gladness and joy to his father, while a foolish individual despises his mother.
The verse underscores the importance of wisdom and discernment, encouraging children to pursue understanding and righteous living. It exhorts children to honor both their father and mother, recognizing the love and sacrifice parents pour into their lives.
Proverbs 30:17
“The eye that mocks his father, and scorns obedience to his mother, the ravens of the valley will pick it out, and the young eagles will eat it.”
This verse vividly illustrates the consequences of mocking and disobeying parents. It uses stark imagery of ravens and eagles to depict the destructive fate that awaits those who hold contempt for their father and disregard their mother.
The verse serves as a solemn warning against disrespect and rebellion towards parents, urging children to honor and obey their parents instead. It paints a powerful picture of the severity and lasting repercussions of disregarding parental authority.
Proverbs 23:15-16
“My son, if your heart is wise, my heart will rejoice—indeed, I myself; yes, my inmost being will rejoice when your lips speak right things.”
In this verse, a father expresses the deep joy he experiences when his son’s heart is wise and his words reflect righteousness. The father’s delight is not limited to surface-level happiness but extends to his inmost being.
The verse celebrates the harmonious bond between father and son, emphasizing the profound emotional impact children can have on their parents. It underscores the significance of wise speech and moral integrity, as they bring delight not only to earthly fathers but also to our Heavenly Father.
Proverbs 13:24
“He who spares his rod hates his son, but he who loves him disciplines him promptly.”
In this verse, the importance of discipline and correction is highlighted. It suggests that withholding necessary discipline is a sign of hatred towards a child, while prompt discipline is rooted in love.
The verse emphasizes the role of parents in guiding and instructing their children through proper discipline. It encourages parents to exercise correction lovingly and promptly, recognizing that discipline is an expression of care and a means of shaping a child’s character.
Deuteronomy 21:18-21
“If a man has a stubborn and rebellious son who will not obey the voice of his father or the voice of his mother, and that, when they have chastened him, will not hearken unto them, then shall his father and his mother lay hold on him, and bring him out unto the elders of his city, and unto the gate of his place; and they shall say unto the elders of his city: “This our son is stubborn and rebellious; he does not obey our voice; he is a glutton, and a drunkard.” And all the men of his city shall stone him with stones, that he die.”
This passage presents a case where a stubborn and disobedient son is taken before the elders of the city, and upon their discernment, is stoned to death. It reflects the extreme consequences that could be imposed in ancient times for severe rebellion and disregard for parental authority.
While the specific punishment described is not applicable today, the passage underscores the grave nature of rebellion and disobedience towards parents. It serves as a reminder for children to recognize the serious repercussions of disrespecting parental authority.