Coming Under God’s Care By Honoring Our Parents

Quiet love at the table that says, you matter here.

Devotional Credit: eManna, Witness Lee
Photo Credit: Unsplash

Some words from Jesus cut straight through our clever workarounds. The Pharisees had polished explanations for why they could sidestep caring for their parents, yet the Lord said their traditions emptied God’s command of its authority. The passage in Matthew 15:3-6 is not a lecture about manners. It is a call back under God’s government where honoring father and mother is not optional, it is woven into the way of the kingdom.

When I read Witness Lee’s reflection, I hear a gentle correction. The issue is not merely what we do for our parents, it is whether our hearts live under the Father’s gracious rule. Exodus 20:12 sits at the head of human relationships for a reason, the home is where love learns its first steps. The Lord, not content to leave us to the drift of our age, brings us back to this simple obedience that shines in an unpretentious way.

Jesus did not applaud loopholes. He affirmed the law’s intent, not as a ladder to climb, but as the shape of life for those who belong to Him. The Apostle echoes this in Ephesians 6 and Colossians 3, calling children to honor parents in the Lord. This is not about earning favor. It is about expressing the life of Jesus within us in the most ordinary places, phone calls, errands, patience in tense moments.

Thank you, Witness Lee, for the nudge back to God’s heart. Honoring parents is not about keeping score. It is about walking under the Father’s care, letting Christ’s life within us choose kindness, respect, and practical love when excuses would be easier.

Journal Entry – Voice of the Holy Spirit Through Scripture

I am the Spirit of Jesus dwelling in you. I draw you under the Father’s good rule, where honoring your parents rests not on tradition, but on the word that gives life. I set before you the way that pleases God, not as a burden, but as the fruit of new creation. I formed you in Christ to walk in love.

I remind you that the command to honor father and mother stands with weight. I plant humility where pride once argued. I teach you to speak with grace, to listen before you answer, to provide where there is need, and to refuse the clever vow that avoids mercy.

I bring to mind the Son who fulfilled the law. In Him you are not slaves of fear. You are children who bear the family resemblance. In Me you find willingness to do what is right, not to be seen, but because the Father’s will is good.

I make you steady when conversations strain. I quiet the urge to win. I give you words that build, a tone that heals, and a heart ready to forgive. I turn ordinary moments into places where Jesus is revealed, and I keep you from the drift of this age. Walk with Me. Yield to Me. Let love be without pretense.

Real-Life Analogy

Think of setting a simple table for dinner. You place the plates, lay the forks, pour the water. Nothing dramatic, just quiet preparation that tells someone, you matter here. Honoring parents often looks like that. A call returned promptly. Paperwork handled without grumbling. A ride to the appointment. Small settings, steady care.

As you step into a moment like this, do not manage yourself with a checklist. Yield to the indwelling Spirit of Jesus who is ready to express His care through you. If your parent’s tone is sharp, or the request is inconvenient, whisper from the heart, Lord, I trust You to love through me right now, choose my words, and serve through my hands. Then give one specific act, return the call today, schedule the ride, or prepare a meal, and let Jesus be seen in the way you carry it.

Prayer of Confidence

Father, thank You that in Jesus I live under Your good rule. You have already given me Your Spirit, the mind of Christ, and every grace needed for a life of love. I praise You that honoring my parents is not a performance to impress You, it is the overflow of Your Son living in me. Thank You for patience that is already mine in Christ, for kindness ready at hand, and for wisdom that steadies my steps. I rest in Your provision and rejoice that today’s ordinary obedience can display the beauty of Your kingdom.

Scripture References for the Voice of the Holy Spirit Through Scripture Section

Matthew 15:3-6, Exodus 20:12, Matthew 5:17-19, Ephesians 6:1-3, Colossians 3:20, Romans 8:14-16, Galatians 5:22-23, John 13:34-35, Philippians 2:1-4