DAY 1 – MAY 17

“BACK TO BASICS” (a study of the Ten Commandments)

TITLE: “HONOR PARENTS OUT OF HONOR FOR GOD”

WEEKLY SCRIPTURE READING: Exodus 20:12

DAILY SCRIPTURE READING: Exodus 20: 12

KEY VERSE: “Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you.” Exodus 20:12

What comes to mind when you think of the word, ‘honor’? Words like respect, reverence, esteem, admiration, dignity, praise, deference, regard, adoration and reliance may come to mind. Honor is the opposite of dishonor, disgrace, shame, blemish, disrespect, contempt, and debasement.

Honor of others can say as much about the person honoring someone as the one being honored. Thomas Carlyle insightfully observed, “Show me the man you honor and I will know what kind of man you are.” 

In the Hebrew, the word, ‘honor’, used here, means ‘to be heavy’, in opposition to being light or despised. It means ‘to come’, ‘to honor’, or, ‘to get honor and glory’. In the biblical usage, honor means more than the general English usage, as it carries the additional idea of glory and majesty. This is due to the fact that the term is used primarily with reference to God. God is holy, and, for that reason, He possesses a glory worthy of honor. Revelation 4:11 states, “You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being.” God is the source of all blessings, including the blessings of honor. Parents are to be honored because God has bestowed upon them the grace and gift of honor. Out of honor for God, we honor those He has established for us to honor. True honor begins with honor for God.

Recent news headlines told the story of the tragic death of Poland’s President, Lech Kaczynski, who was killed in a plane crash, along with many others, on April 10, 2010. History reveals another interesting story about a former Polish leader, John III Sobieski, King of Poland in the late 17th century. Among his accomplishments, he is best remembered as the man who saved central Europe from invading armies of Turks in 1683. With the Turks at the walls of Vienna, Sobieski led a charge that broke the siege. His rescue of Vienna is considered one of the decisive battles in European history. In announcing his great victory, the king paraphrased the famous words of Caesar by saying simply, "I came; I saw; God conquered."

His statement gave the glory and honor to God. It is out of honor to God that we are to honor our parents. One cannot truly honor God without honoring your father and mother. To honor our parents is to honor God and His word. Will you honor God today by honoring your father and mother?

DAY 2 – MAY 18

“BACK TO BASICS” (a study of the Ten Commandments)

TITLE: “LIVE HONORABLE LIVES”

WEEKLY SCRIPTURE READING: Exodus 20:12

DAILY SCRIPTURE READING: Exodus 20: 12

KEY VERSE: “Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you.” Exodus 20:12

Inherent in this admonition is the call to live honorable lives. It is a reminder for parents, and for all of us, to live honorable lives or lives worthy of honor. An honorable life is a life of virtue. It is a life of excellence, morality, uprightness, purity, righteousness, goodness, honesty, decency, temperance, integrity, innocence, and justice.

A young lady was soaking up the sun’ s rays on a Florida beach when a little boy in his swimming trunks, carrying a towel, came up to her and asked her, “Do you believe in God?” She was surprised by the question, but replied, “Why, yes, I do.” Then he asked her, “Do you go to church every Sunday?” Again, her answer was, “Yes!” Then, he asked, “Do you read your Bible and pray every day?” Again, she said, “Yes!” By now, her curiosity was very much aroused. At last, the lad sighed and said, with obvious relief, “Will you hold my quarter while I go swimming?” This little boy was trying to find a person of virtue, someone who was honorable and trustworthy.

The book of Proverbs has a considerable amount to say about living an honorable life. Proverbs 21:21 says, “He who pursues righteousness and love finds life, prosperity and honor.” What we pursue says a lot about our commitment to live honorable lives. Proverbs 22:4 says, “Humility and the fear of the Lord bring wealth and honor and life.” There are certain characteristics in our lives that reveal a life that is honorable. Humility and fear of the Lord result in a life that is honorable. Proverbs 20:3 says, “It is to a man’s honor to avoid strife, but every fool is quick to quarrel.” To live a life of honor is to avoid strife and quarreling with others. It is to take the high road.

Will you live a life worthy of honor today? Speak words that are honorable today in every conversation you have. Think thoughts that are honorable today in every thought you think. Examine your actions today so that everything you do and everyplace you go is honorable.

DAY 3 – MAY 19

“BACK TO BASICS” (a study of the Ten Commandments)

TITLE: “PASS IT ON”

WEEKLY SCRIPTURE READING: Exodus 20:12

DAILY SCRIPTURE READING: Exodus 20: 12

KEY VERSE: “Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you.” Exodus 20:12

At age 16, Andor Foldes was already a skilled pianist, but he was experiencing a troubled year. In the midst of the young Hungarian's personal struggles, one of the most renowned pianists of the day came to Budapest. Emil von Sauer was famous not only for his abilities; he was also the last surviving pupil of the great Franz Liszt. Von Sauer requested that Foldes play for him. Foldes obliged, with some of the most difficult works of Bach, Beethoven, and Schumann. 

When he finished, von Sauer walked over to him and kissed him on the forehead. "My son," he said, "when I was your age, I became a student of Liszt. He kissed me on the forehead after my first lesson, saying, 'Take good care of this kiss--it comes from Beethoven, who gave it to me after hearing me play.' I have waited for years to pass on this sacred heritage, but, now, I feel you deserve it."

Many of us have received a variety of blessings. One of the blessings that we can pass on to others is that of teaching them to honor. It is a heritage we must pass. Parents have the privilege of teaching their children to honor God and to honor their parents. People in a variety of roles of authority and friendships have the privilege of passing on to others the importance and blessing of honoring others. Let us pass on to others a life of honoring parents by honoring parents with our words and actions.

People need to know what honoring God looks like. Will you set the example by honoring God in all you do? People need to know what honoring our parents looks like. Will you set the example of what it looks like to honor your parents by the words you speak and things you do? People need to know what honoring one another looks like. Will you set the example by honoring one another with your words and actions? By the lives we live, we can teach others to honor God. By the lives we live, we can teach others to honor their parents. By the lives we live, we can teach others to honor one another. Let us pass that blessing on to others.

DAY 4 – MAY 20

“BACK TO BASICS” (a study of the Ten Commandments)

TITLE: “THE PROMISE”

WEEKLY SCRIPTURE READING: Exodus 20:12

DAILY SCRIPTURE READING: Exodus 20: 12

KEY VERSE: “Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you.” Exodus 20:12

This commandment is followed with a promise. Parents and children would prosper in the land and see the fulfillment of the covenant promise of God. In Hebrew, though, the words, “you may live long” referred more to quality than just quantity of life. The term, ‘long life’ means to have experienced a fulfilled, bountiful life from childhood to old age. It was a promise of personal fulfillment. In speaking to the Israelites, God’s promise meant that the land He gave them in Canaan would be a place of harmony, security and inner strength.

The apostle Paul referred to the promise in his letter to the Ephesians. He wrote, “Honor your father and mother” – which is the first commandment with a promise- “that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth.” Ephesians 6:2-3. God is a keeper of His promises.

Booker T. Washington describes meeting an ex-slave from Virginia in his book, Up From Slavery. "I found that this man had made a contract with his master, two or three years previous to the Emancipation Proclamation, to the effect that the slave was to be permitted to buy himself, by paying so much per year for his body; and while he was paying for himself, he was to be permitted to labor where and for whom he pleased.”

"Finding that he could secure better wages in Ohio, he went there. When freedom came, he was still in debt to his master some three hundred dollars. Notwithstanding that the Emancipation Proclamation freed him from any obligation to his master, this black man walked the greater portion of the distance back to where his old master lived in Virginia, and placed the last dollar, with interest, in his hands.” Booker Washington said, “In talking to me about this, the man told me that he knew that he did not have to pay his debt, but that he had given his word to his master, and his word he had never broken. He felt that he could not enjoy his freedom till he had fulfilled his promise." 

God never breaks His promises. God is a keeper of His promises. He promises blessing to those who obey His Word.

WEEK 5 DAY 5

“BACK TO BASICS” (a study of the Ten Commandments)

TITLE: “GOD IS A GIVING GOD”

WEEKLY SCRIPTURE READING: Exodus 20:12

DAILY SCRIPTURE READING: Exodus 20: 12

KEY VERSE: “Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you.” Exodus 20:12

God is a giving God. In speaking to the Israelites, God’s promise meant that the land He gave them in Canaan would be a place of harmony, security and inner strength. The land was a gift from God. Obedience opens the door for God to give us all He desires to give us.

All that we have is a gift from God. Grace is a gift from God. Salvation is a gift from God. Forgiveness of sin is a gift from God. Peace is a gift from God. Strength is a gift from God. The Holy Spirit is a gift from God. God’s Word is a gift from God. James said it this way in James 1:17-18, when he wrote, “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created.” God provides what He knows we need, for God is a giving God.

He giveth more grace as our burdens grow greater,
He sendeth more strength as our labors increase;
To added afflictions, He addeth His mercy,
To multiplied trials, He multiplies peace.

When we have exhausted our store of endurance,
When our strength has failed, ere the day is half done,
When we reach the end of our hoarded resources,
Our Father’s full giving is only begun.

His love has no limits, His grace has no measure,
His power no boundary known unto men;
For out of His infinite riches in Jesus
He giveth, and giveth, and giveth again. (Annie Johnson Flint)