Dear Diary,
Are you acting to maintain your parents's dignity?
So, last Sunday was Mother's Day and all social media pages were awash with great tributes to the mothers. In my Sunday School class we invited Pastor Mrs. Mary Wairimu Nyaoro to come and share with us. She talked about Honoring our parents from Ephesians 6:1-3. Since then I've been pondering on that message and today I decided to put a lesson in the Sunday School curriculum am working on.
Maximum speed, am at Genesis 9:18-27, the story is about the Sons of Noah-Shem, Ham and Japheth. So, Noah planted a vineyard and decided to indulge in the fruit of his labor. As a result he lay naked in his tent, v.20-21. Ham somehow caught the glimpse of his father's nakedness and instead of discreetly covering him, he was amused. He couldn't keep it to himself, but exposed his father's nakedness to the ridicule of his brothers. Thankfully, Shem and Japheth were mature, they didn't share in Ham's amusement, instead, they took a garment, went backwards and covered their father's shame, v.22-23. When Noah woke up and discovered what his son had done to him, in the heat of the moment, he pronounced a curse on Canaan, Ham's youngest son, v.24. That was a severe blow on the family ties and fellowship; a division in the house; rejection etc.
God commands us to honor our parents, Exodus 20:12; Ephesians 6:1-3. Truth be told, our parents' nakedness can take many forms including but not limited to moral weakness and failure, material poverty, physical disability/weakness and illness or old age. Whatever form it might take, God expects us to cover the nakedness and shame. Indeed children should act to maintain the dignity of their parents. We shouldn't abandon them into misery or isolate them. We shouldn't see their needs and simply talk about it but we must take practical and tangible steps to remedy the situation like Shem and Japheth did to their Father. If we neglect our parents, there are consequences that can destroy our families.
Honoring our parents comes with a package of blessing as well i.e long life and prosperity. Thank God for Mother and Father's days in May and June respectively, but every day we should honor and cherish our parents.
So, help me God to honor my parents. Help me teach my Sunday Schoolers to honor their parents as well.
Faithful scribbler,
NzakuNashipae
NzakuNashipae
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