March 31, 2026
- djohnstoncc
- 6 days ago
- 3 min read
SPIRIT FILLED LIVING
TODAY’S SCRIPTURE
“Children, obey your parents because you belong to the Lord, for this is the right thing to do. ‘Honor your father and mother.’ This is the first commandment with a promise: If you honor your father and mother, ‘things will go well for you, and you will have a long life on the earth.’”
Ephesians 6:1–3 NLT
TODAY’S THOUGHT
As we move into Ephesians 6, Paul extends the "Spirit-filled" life from the marriage bed to the breakfast table. He shows us that the same power that helps a husband love and a wife respect is the same power that helps a child obey and a parent lead.
This isn't just about "good behavior"; it’s about building a Legacy of Honor. Paul connects our vertical relationship with God directly to our horizontal relationship with our parents.
1. The First Commandment with a Promise
Notice that Paul calls this the "first commandment with a promise." Honor is the spiritual "soil" in which a successful life grows.
Obedience vs. Honor: Obedience is an action (doing what you're told); Honor is an attitude (valuing the person). You can obey with a grumbling heart, but you cannot honor with one.
The Result: When a home is built on honor, it creates a "long life" and "wellness." Why? Because a child who learns to honor authority at home is a child who will flourish under authority in the workplace, the community, and the Kingdom.
2. The Father’s Mandate: Leading Without Provoking
Paul then turns to the parents—specifically fathers: “Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger by the way you treat them. Rather, bring them up with the discipline and instruction that comes from the Lord” (v. 4).
Don't Provoke: If our parenting is about our own ego or convenience, we create resentment. When we lead out of humility and love we give opportunity for growth.
The Discipline of the Lord: Our job is not to produce "perfect kids" but to introduce them to a "Perfect Father." We are to represent Jesus in our children's lives—showing them both the boundaries of truth and the embrace of grace.
3. The "Chain of Command" in the Heart
Honor starts with how we think about those God has placed over us.
The Root: If you have a "root of bitterness" toward your parents, it will eventually poison your ability to lead your own children.
The Clean Sweep: We must "put off" the old rags of rebellion and "put on" the new nature of respect.
The Family Audit
For the Children (Adult or Young): Am I honoring my parents in my thoughts and speech, even when I disagree with them?
For the Parents: Am I leading in a way that makes it easy for my children to honor me, or am I "provoking" them through my own unresolved "case files"?
The Move: Identify one way you can tangibly show honor to a family member this week, perhaps a phone call of gratitude to a parent or a moment of "tenderhearted" discipline with a child.
TODAY’S PRAYER
Heavenly Father, thank You for the gift of family. Help me to be a conduit of Your honor in my home. Forgive me for the times I have provoked or rebelled. Grant me the wisdom to lead with Your heart and the humility to follow with Your spirit. Let my home be a place where Your name is made great. Amen.
“Scroll down to share what you feel God is saying based on today’s reading.”
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