The fifth commandment calls us to honor our father and mother. We often think of this command in connection with young children obeying their parents, and yet it has application to adults as well.

We honor our parents when we show them respect. We must show them respect in our attitude, words, and actions towards them. We must show them respect in our words about them as we speak to others. True honor will respect.

We honor our parents when we live uprightly. Do our lives bring honor or dishonor to our parents’ reputation? Do our actions cause the family name to be held with respect or disdain? Are we children who fill our parents’ hearts with joy or sorrow? True honor will live uprightly.

We honor our parents when we remember them. Too many parents are never visited, never called, never written to. They are forgotten and ignored. But true honor will remember.

We honor our parents when we care for them. As they age, they may need help with various things they were once able to do on their own. They may need help with something their spouse used to do who has passed on. They may need our time. They may need some financial support. They may just need someone to listen, to be there. True honor will care.

So how well are we living out this command? How do we need to grow today?