𝗦𝗘𝗖𝗢𝗡𝗗 𝗢𝗣𝗜𝗡𝗜𝗢𝗡 𝗯𝘆 𝗔𝗿𝘃𝗶𝗻 𝗙𝗲𝗿𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗠. 𝗖𝗮𝗯𝗮𝗹𝘂
A FIGURE in the parable of Jesus in the New Testament (Luke 15:11-32) reads, “A wayward son who squanders his inheritance but returns home to find that his father forgives him.”
The story of the prodigal son is the picture of God’s love to all of us. God’s love for us does not depend on our faithfulness — it is unconditional. He loved us while we were still sinners… though we are demanding and do not remain faithful, God is still our faithful and loving Father.
Simply put, if God can forgive, why can’t we as humans? One should remember that no parent, a father in particular, will be happy to see his children in peril. Like God, parents are loving and caring towards their children.
But there is a serious problem in the body of Christ as today, a growing number of adult children are ungrateful, critical and disrespectful toward their parents.
Some adult children are magnifying their parents’ faults and minimizing their parents’ sacrifices and love. They have forgotten the fact that without their parents, or without one of them, they won’t exist.
They expect grace from their parents, but give a little in return or give nothing at all. These children who can be considered fault-finders are in direct contradiction to God’s Word.
When we become adults, we gain wisdom, we take on adult responsibilities to our parents and we become more attached to realities. We no longer obey our parents, but we do our part to have a meaningful relationship with them.
God never excuses disrespect toward parents because disrespect toward parents show disrespect for His commands and promises.
As the verse from Romans 12:21 say, “Even if your parents made some large mistakes, you can return good for evil and be blessed by God.
In Israel, God commanded that children who curse their parents be put to death. This was the civil law for a period in Israel’s history, not a permanent law of God—but it shows the emphasis. God puts on our words spoken to and about our parents. The principle is not limited to verbally cursing a parent.
And if we doubt that if God really has a law about cursing parents, well, Leviticus 20:9, Mathew 15:4 and Proverbs 20:20 are proof of what God is saying and promising.
All of the teaching of God and Jesus Christ are all geared toward loving, forgiving, giving, sharing and most especially, respect and love for parents.
Children might wish something against their parents…but parents will never wish the same.
The parable of Jesus Christ for the prodigal son is forgiveness… and we will someday face that… and to all children who curse their parents — be afraid of God.
