How to Honor Our Parents as Adults: Continuing in Their Ways

As children, honoring our parents means listening, respecting, obeying, and accepting their correction and teaching.

Children obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord.

Colossians 3:20

As adults, we continue to listen to and respect our parents. They have invested in us all of our lives and they will always care about our well-being. But we no longer obey their every instruction as when we were children. Instead, we honor them by remembering what they taught us and continuing in that way.

Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old, he will not depart from it.

Proverbs 22:6

The obedience of an adult child is to continue in the ways in which we were taught when we were young. Our parents are honored when they see us becoming godly, loving, successful, and productive as citizens, workers, spouses and parents.

I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.

3 John 1:4

What a blessing to see that the fruit of our labor is good! When our adult children continue on in the ways we taught them, even when they are out of our house, we feel honored. Raising children is a lot of work and we just don’t want to feel like it was all in vain.

Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her.

Proverbs 31:28

Return the Favor

Then, as our parents get older, we honor them by returning the favor.

If a widow has children or grandchildren, let them first learn to show godliness to their own household and to make some return to their parents, for this is pleasing in the sight of God.

1 Timothy 5:4

Our parents gave us life, but they also gave up their lives for us. When we were young, we depended on them completely. They took care of us and provided for our needs, not to mention much of our wants. They have loved us longer than anyone else and their connection with us is special and unique. There is no love like the love of a parent.

So, we owe them, right? As our parents age, the roles begin to reverse. As they grow old, it is our turn to take care of them and maybe even provide for them. They need to be able to depend on us now. So, how can we not return to them just a small portion of what they have done for us? What an honor for our parents to see that we realize the sacrifices they made for us and that we are willing to sacrifice a little for them in the end!

Listen to your father who gave you life and do not despise your mother when she is old. Buy truth and do not sell it. Buy wisdom, instruction, and understanding. The father of the righteous will greatly rejoice. He who fathers a wise child will be glad in him. Let you father and mother be glad and let her who bore you rejoice.

Proverbs 23:22-25

Excerpt from Episode 105 “Honoring Parents, Authority Figures, and Ultimately God” on Podcast and YouTube

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