I admit that sometimes the context of family can be the most difficult environment to be a Christian in. Because our family has such a unique view of us and has such unique access to us, it can make for the highest highs and the lowest lows. I’m working through the 70 resolutions of Jonathan Edwards and resolution #46 is…

Resolved, Never to allow the least measure of any fretting or uneasiness at my father or mother. Resolved, to suffer no effects of it, so much as in the least alteration of speech, or motion of my eye; and to be especially careful of it with respect to any of our family.

Commandment #12 in Exodus chapter 20 says to  “Honor your father and your mother.” The word “honor” in the original Hebrew language that the Old Testament was written in means to be “weighty” or “heavy.” To honor someone therefore means to take them seriously and to recognize the “weight” that they have…metaphorically speaking that is 🙂 Edwards is saying here that he takes his father and mother seriously. He honors them. I believe that Edwards would tell us that he does this not primarily based on how his father and mother behaved. He would tell us that his treatment of them had primarily to do with his honor for God. Probably most people have trouble honoring their father and mother…especially around the holiday season. There is a lot that could be said about this. That being said,the most important thing for us to understand is that the way that you honor your father and mother is directly proportional to the way you honor (or don’t honor) God. That is worth contemplating.

Edwards also says in this resolution that he wants to make sure he is honoring the rest of his family as well. It’s so easy in the context of family to always look at how others are treating you. The way that we act is not really our fault. If they wouldn’t be so crazy…if they wouldn’t be so stupid…if they weren’t always antagonizing me….you get the point. The best advice that I can give in regards to family relations is to be the person that you want to see others become. Stop pointing the finger and just be a difference-maker. Lose the victim mentality and just decide that you are going to be a force for good regardless of how others act. Again Edwards is challenging us in a very difficult area but I’m sure we all have room to grow here.