Will our children die young if they are disobedient?

Posted by Joe Braun on Apr 15, 2011 in Daily Bread | 0 comments

Before we dive into the text today, MAKE SURE YOU PAY YOUR TAXES!!!! (I know the government gave us an extra few days, but don’t procrastinate any longer)

When I was growing up, I didn’t really like my parents all that much. I wasn’t hostile or anything; I didn’t plan attacks on them by taking lug nuts out of the wheels of their car, nor strategically place trip lines throughout the yard with sinkholes. No, I just felt I was smarter than they were. And so I didn’t pay attention much to what they had to say.

So when my youth pastor read to me these verses in Ephesians 6:1-3, I thought to myself, “Great, now I’m going to die at a young age because I don’t obey all that much.” Admittedly, this is a little over reaction (as is my description of my disobedience; I was a rather compliant child). But I do now start to wonder how this works. Paul directs his relationship advice toward children, and states that children are to obey their parents – “which is the first commandment with a promise” – so that you may live a long life. So, is Paul telling us that if you’re a bad child, you’ll die young? There’s a little bit of good advice in that, but I don’t necessarily think it is the essence of what he’s saying.

First of all, when Paul says, “which is the first commandment with a promise,” he isn’t literally speaking of the first commandment given to us with a promise (because an earlier commandment of the ten given to Moses, in reference to idolatry, is followed by a promise that He will continue to love those who love him). Paul is essentially saying, of the commandments given to children, this is of the utmost importance. Secondly, it is so exceptionally important that generations of children obey their parents, and as a result our community or society will see his hand of blessing, leading to happy and stable generations. The foundation to the stability (longevity) of a community or a society is based on strong families of respect and obedience, love, and honor.

As it stands, I’m 31 and still alive. Apparently I wasn’t that bad of a child!