They are sinful human beings who make mistakes , just like us . But the fact that they have been placed in authority over us is significant . How we respond to the authority of our parents will influence our response to the authority of God .
truly exists or have we invented and fueled it with our modern lifestyles ? More importantly , is this the way it should be ?
Malachi 4:6 states , “ And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children , and the heart of the children to their fathers , lest I ( God ) come and smite the earth with a curse .” What does the relationship between fathers ( or parents ) and children have to do with accomplishing peace on earth ? It is extremely easy to assume that the ‘ generation gap ’ is an inevitable phase everyone goes through .
“ Of course they will push me away ,” we hear parents say of their teens . But this attitude can , unfortunately , set in motion a self-fulfilling prophecy . With the rise of peer-parenting , young people have begun to confide more in their peers , and barriers have formed between parents and children due to the lack of open communication and the sharing of hearts within the home . We erect these invisible walls day by day that prevent us from obtaining true peace — peace that leads to richer , more fulfilling relationships .
In my early teenage years , I valued my ‘ right to privacy ’, especially once I was granted permission to go onto social media . All right , I wasn ’ t attempting to create a split personality or run away . It just didn ’ t occur to me to share my online activity with my parents – it was my business . I wasn ’ t doing anything wrong .
WHAT GOOD DOES IT DO ? Fortunately for me , however , my mother realized the potential danger in letting a teenager roam online without supervision . I was resistant to the idea of remaining accountable to my parents . It took time to willingly and frequently go to them for advice . But as I learned to communicate openly and listen despite how much I initially disagreed with my parents , I experienced a brand new shift in mindset .
Keeping secrets from them , I realized , ultimately harmed me . I was seeking fulfillment from shallow sources of self-worth and looking to well-intentioned but inexperienced friends for advice . The process of learning to trust my parents was , hard and not devoid of heated arguments . Surrendering personal wants and desires requires humility to admit mistakes and be open to change .
Talking things through with my parents , even on small matters , has helped me grow in wisdom and discernment . It has freed me to understand who they are and who I am as a child under their authority . Had not my parents emphasised the importance of open communication within the household , I would not have been as prepared for future real-life situations that I would ultimately need to face on my own .
I realised creating peace within the home can have implications on the rest of my life , especially my spiritual life . Can our relationships with our parents really be reflective of our relationship with God ? To my surprise , I discovered that as I continually learn to die to myself and actively seek out my parents , I learn to become more receptive to God ’ s authority because the act of submission is central to the Christian life . Christ moulds us by changing our previous ways of thinking .
Are our parents perfect ? Do they always offer the best advice ? No . They are sinful human beings who make mistakes , just like us . But the fact that they have been placed in authority over us is significant . How we respond to the authority of our parents will influence our response to the authority of God .
The Bible is filled with verses about the importance of a healthy relationship between parent and child . The Pentateuch , Proverbs , the Epistles , and even the words of Jesus speak volumes about the importance of respecting parental authority . “ Children , obey your parents in the Lord , for this is right ” ( Ephesians 6:1 ) is certainly not my favorite Bible verse , but the sheer space Scripture dedicates to this issue expresses its importance . Opening up to our parents and putting effort into building relationships help us develop wisdom and clarity while increasing our receptiveness to God ’ s guidance .
Learning from our parents ’ rich experiences and values ultimately benefits us by helping us build clear beliefs and standards , which are pricelessly valuable in a world of relativism and moral ambiguity .
I believe that we can close the “ generation gap ,” no matter how much we have been indoctrinated to treat it as a norm . True peace can reign in the home . Like any worthwhile pursuit , it will not be easy , but it is worth the sacrifice . Returning to Malachi 4:6 , peace begins internally with the turning of the hearts of both children and parents toward each other . Such peace comes about not by pushing for our rights of “ privacy ” but by a willingness to submit to one another out of reverence for God-given authority . Can we live with peace in our hearts and at peace with God while pushing our parents away , even if we don ’ t even noticeably distance ourselves from them ? Perhaps we should look at our hearts and ask ourselves : How willing are we really to share our lives with our parents ? And if that causes us to hesitate , maybe we should be challenged to take an even closer look at our current ways of thinking .
If Barry the bee had considered this , maybe he would have all that honey back , not only with much more ease but with his parents by his side .
What steps are you willing to take to build true peace — to bridge the gap — starting in the home ?
Eliza is a freshman at Asbury University , a Christian liberal arts school in Kentucky , USA . She was previously homeschooled and is currently pursuing her passion for media by majoring in Media Communications . She will turn 18 in April , and her interests include photography , filmmaking , design , biblical worldview , and apologetics . She hopes to combine her zeal for both media and faith by helping others see things from a biblical perspective and persuade them that the Word of God is relevant — even amidst today ' s culture .
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