Tomorrow is Father's Day. It is a grand or troubling opportunity to remember our dads to celebrate being dad, to challenge dads, maybe even to look for good examples of how to be a dad. The reality is that although it is a special day to honor dads, father, papas, and all the rest, it is just one opportunity in 365.
The bible makes no bones about honoring mothers and father. The Ten Commandments enjoin us to "honor your mother and father...if you wish to live a long time in the land."
It is fascinating to me that God commanded honoring parents. To me it suggests a rather obvious theme held in all of scripture, that we are to honor all persons who live in such ways as they bring honor to God. Another way to look at it is, that anyone who in some ways represents God in the here and now, deserves our respect to the minimum extent that they incarnate God for us.
I know that is a little bit esoteric, but let me try this: we as humans in the here and now, need to practice honoring God temporally, so that we will be prepared to do that for all of time when we stand eternally in God's presence. We need to act now in the way we would like to act then. Perfect practice makes perfect. Understand?
For a God who embodies love, grace, and peace at all times, giving honor at all times to all folks whoin some small measure repesent God is a really great idea!
So back to Father's Day. Honor you father! But remember, honor all the rest of the folks you see around you who have God's presence in them too! It will be good practice!
Jeff |
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