READ: Ephesians 6:1-3
“A son honoureth his father, and a servant his master: if then I be a father, where is mine honour?” – Malachi 1:6
People find it difficult to honour fathers because they feel a father must earn their honour by being honourable. Unfortunately, many sons and daughters are disappointed in the lives of their fathers and mothers.
Many sons think they will do better than their parents have done with money, relationships and other opportunities of life. It is true that most parents fall short of the ideal father and mother. Every parent is a phantom of what he could be.
It is also true that an “imperfect” father may bring a “perfect” man into the world and a good person may bring an evil person into the world. For instance, Hitler and Stalin had mothers who took them to church. Both Hitler and Stalin were members of the choirs in their churches. Stalin even attended a Bible school for a period. Obviously, the parents of these mass murderers were Christians and church goers. Somehow they brought forth men who would cause the deaths of millions of people.
God knows that many of the parents of “good” people are not “good”. And yet, He gave a blanket instruction that fathers and mothers should be honoured. The obvious moral, financial and marital failings of fathers have nothing to do with the honour that God has commanded us to give to them. If God wants to punish the fathers for their financial, moral and marital sins, He will. That has nothing to do with the honour a child is expected to give to his father. Every father, no matter who he is, is due the honour commanded by God for him.