It is common knowledge that during teen years most young men & women rebel against their parents. Through attitude, action, & spoken word blatant & sometimes covert disrespect is given to the ones who created life. Society has glorifies this phase of life & deemed it “normal” & “healthy” for teens & young adults to push the boundaries that parents have set in place. Even the ultra conservative & traditional Amish community has set apart a time in a child’s life to experience the forbidden if they so choose. Perhaps you, my sister, are in the very midst of this phase of life. Lovingly I tell you that there is nothing “healthy or normal” about a rebellious & disobedient spirit in a daughter of the Most High. Far more than it reflects strained relations between a teen & his/her parents it shows a gap between that individual & the Lord.
There most assuredly is a time to begin thinking & making decisions for oneself. That is a right & good skill to cultivate, but there is a stark difference between developing independence & in testing waters proven to be dangerous. For years many of you have lived under the upbringing of godly & righteous parents, & your coming of age is not a granting of permission to now do that which was formerly forbidden. This behavior is akin to telling a child that it is suddenly permissible to touch a hot stove after years of instruction not to do so. Sisters, common sense tells you that touching a hot stove will leave you burned. It also tells you that drunkenness is dangerous & foolhardy, sexual & emotional promiscuity will leave you broken hearted, & association with immoral peers will lead to a breakdown in your own values. Many by action & word disregard the admonishments of their parents to see for themselves if their endless lecturing is indeed accurate. Perhaps more common among Christian young women is a rebellion in attitude & in the secret of our thoughts & emotions. Disobedience & rebellion whether performed outwardly or merely pondered are a sign of something far more tragic than typical teen behavior…they are a symbol of a lack of honor for our Heavenly Father.
On a tablet of stone God demanded that we honor our fathers & mothers. Such a command was placed in such high importance not merely because we ought to revere the ones who gave us life, but also because through the practice of honoring our earthly parents, we understand how to honor God. Honoring is different than obeying. To honor is to revere, respect, & hold in high esteem, & through the process of honoring obedience follows naturally. How is it possible for one to revere the intangible God, if we cannot first honor the parents that we can see, hear, & touch? As a daughter of the King of Kings, you are under the Lord’s authority, & as a daughter of your earthly parents you are also under their headship.
For those of you who have not had the blessing of parents who serve the Lord, I understand entirely. I grew up in a household that only sporadically attended church. Unless commanded by your guardians to out rightly violate God’s right & wrong, honor your parents. It is my unwavering prayer that by my faithfulness to the Lord that my parents might one day know His grace. Your godly example might very well be an integral piece of the puzzle in your parent’s salvation.
Sisters, I pray that you see my heart in this letter. I do not expect you to be robotic, emotionless, &opinionless pieces of perfection, but I do hope that when questions arise within you that you would seek out the counsel of your parents, me, or whomever you feel comfortable with. Rather than act out, discover truth. Parents will without a doubt at times be overbearing & even annoying, but always, always their desire is for you to grow into adulthood as wise & unscathed as possible. To close I was to lay to rest one final argument of teens. Yes times have changed & the world’s standards are a far cry from what they used to be, but the God you serve is unchanging. & unwavering. Right will always be right & wrong will perpetually be wrong. Choose to honor.
Be Blessed,
Bri Davidson
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