The Ten Commandments | The Fourth Commandment
Read This
“Honor your father and mother.”
Exodus 20:12
Remember This
Think About This
God created us to love those in authority over us – especially our parents. That means we listen to them, we obey, we value them, and look for ways to serve them.
From the Small Catechism
This is the only commandment that also comes with a promise. God attaches the command to honor parents with the promise. This doesn’t automatically mean that life with your parents is easy, but God does want to teach us to honor our parents and other authorities (like teachers, pastors, police officers, etc…)
Meal Time
Have some fun with this one. Ask your kids, if you were parent for a day, what rules would you change? Then flip the conversation and tell your kids how you’d act for the day if they were in charge.
Drive Time
While you’re driving, help your kids think of some ways they can serve someone who is in authority over the. This might be another parent, a friend’s parent, a teacher, a coach. Come up with something they can do that isn’t expected of them.
Meal time
Role play a conversation about wanting to hang out with a bad group of friends. But instead of being yourself, have your kids be the parents and you be the kids. While being the kid, push to have time to hang out with friends while your kids try to come up with the best ways to explain to you why that’s not a good idea.
Bed Time
At bed time read Proverbs 22:6 and ask your kids, “What are the most important things that I can teach you?” Remind them how much you love them and value them and pray for them.