For Long Life!

"My son, forget not my law; but let thine heart keep my commandments: For length of days, and long life, and peace, shall they add to thee" (Proverbs 3:1,2).

There is a reason why we should keep God's commandments--long life, peace and prosperity (NIV).

Even though some will usually think of the "ten commandments" as given to Moses, Jesus summarized the ten into two. The first five address our relationship with God and authority and the other five address our relationships with each other. Love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul and mind; love our neighbors as ourselves (paraphrased).

What really brings this passage of scripture to life is remembering to "honor mother and father so our days will be long upon the earth" and looking at our society; we see what happens when parents/authority are not honored and respected--where there is no love, there is no respect.

Many people can enumerate the problems that plague our society with the attitudes of young people, but in our observations we are hesitant to place blame where it rightfully belongs--on the shoulders of parents who have not been responsible parents. Responsible parents teach children right from wrong and model that behavior in front of their children. If parents are not doing what they say, they are saying without power and certainly the children won't obey. This is not to say that all the ills of society are the responsibility of parents because some children--when they reach a certain age--ignore all their training and do what they want to do, "when they reach that certain age."

For any child (regardless of age) living under a roof with parents and their parents are their primary source of support, the rule of parents should reign (especially for Godly households). No child living with parents should ever be allowed to just do whatever they want whenever they want. When they do--we see the results of their lives on the news--"teenagers killed in the midst of a home invasion," "drug wars claim the lives of teens over territory dispute," "bodies of parents found in the home where teens lived and were angry at parents who wouldn't let them use their credit cards," and the list of insanity could go on and on.

The bottom line is this--when we love and respect authority and others--we are assured of long life, peace, and the opportunity to prosper while we live. Parents need to be parents, not friends and children need to respect and obey. Are we not children of the Most High? Then we should obey Our Father in all things and live long lives in peace and prosperity.