Honor Thy Father and Thy Mother…The Essence Of Collapse VI

Honor Thy Father and Thy Mother…The Essence Of Collapse VI by Randolph Jason for Gospel News Network

As children, most of us or, at least some of us, are taught to “honor thy father and thy mother”. How does that apply when your parents are divorced? How does it apply when there never was a union between the man and the woman, there was only people that came together, had a sexual encounter and a child was born? A situation where no one really takes responsibility for a life coming into the world.

Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee. ` Exodus 20:12 KJB

Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right. Honour thy father and mother; which is the first commandment with promise; that it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth. ~ Ephesians 6:1-3 KJB

This is difficult for many people. Today it is not unusual for someone to be a “baby mama” or “baby daddy” and nothing else. There is little, if any, connection between the child and the mother or father. This is a massive part of the problem with our society today. When parents don’t honor one another, this is instilled in the children, the challenge of honoring either or both of the parents becomes somewhat secondary to simply having a relationship or receiving nurturing on a meaningful level.

In 2019 time was taken to review our society, from the perspective of the family and how the break down of the mother, father and children as a family, impacted everything. A series of writings were published with the theme, The Essence of Collapse, in which a multitude of angles were examined focusing on “honoring thy father and thy mother”.  The five part series can be accessed by clicking this link. While some of the writings may not seem to be connected to the family, it is the breakdown of the family unit that creates all the scenarios of a collapsing society, which the U.S. has in volume.

Without the family a number of evils begin to take root. Without a father, a head of household, one could argue there is no family. If there is no family our society falls apart in very rapid succession, as one of the first things to leave a house is God. Not that God leaves the house, or His children, it’s the people within the house become focused on things that are not of Our Father, God. This usually begins a series of decisions that are not rooted in substance or have any branches that cling to what is important as the soil our life’s foundation is built upon is rocky and, likely, produces thorn-covered weeds.

It’s not just the children that suffer but the parent that raises the child, usually the mother, also suffers. The absent parent, usually the father, is not affected by any of this as that absent parent, literally, takes no responsibility in the child’s (children’s) life. The parent that raises the child is a different story. Everything they thought would be has now been forever changed. Every dream they ever had has to be reviewed through a different lens. Once again, usually the first thing to be kicked to the curb is God. Bad things tend to happen when people kick God to the curb. This is usually the beginning of trouble that will become generational. All one has to do is turn on the local news everyday for one week and this truth will become quiet clear.

The house where I grew up was fatherless. All of what is described above is from personal experience. As a child I was desperate for God. That was soon removed because of “safety” issues or other situations that clogged the flow between myself and God. Peer pressure from my brothers or other outside forces or a lack of understanding on my part brought about a life void of a relationship with Jesus. However it came about, God had a limited run in my young life. Today I focus on helping others avoid turning away from their family, turning back to God and living in the Light of God’s Love, Strength and Power. It’s the only thing that matters. If you don’t believe me, go talk with someone who is dying and if they are walking with Jesus Christ it will be seen immediately. If they are not, well, that will be seen just as quickly.

Does my Mom walk with Jesus? If she does it is not on display in any aspect of her life. There is no cross, Holy Bible or any reference to the Gospel on display in her house. It is not heard in her words nor seen in her walk. Yes, the love of Jesus Christ has shown through her eyes, her actions and her words – on occasion, so, she knows Jesus Christ and that may be good enough for her. It may be that since her family was broken by divorce, pain and all of what we suffered like her before, that she never made time to dedicate to prayer, to truly focusing on Jesus Christ. My prayer is that she will find Him now and spend the remainder of her time in this world with Him. Talking with, listening to and drawing nearer to Jesus everyday. She’s a good woman and she was a mother that protected her children like any mama bear. It’s just that the path that proceeded her was broken and covered with rocky soil.

The essence of collapse is not found in the banking system, government, monetary system or any institution. No, it is found in the home where honoring thy father and thy mother begins and ends. Without this simple foundation to stand upon there is no society and we find law and order are out the window and all the money in the world will not fix it. Only the love of God can heal this type of hurt and that love begins in a family that prays together and stays together.