Honour Your Parents: Why and How?

On October 13, 2015, the police rescued a father aged 73 who had been imprisoned in a dog cage by his daughter. According to that report, the woman’s dogs slept on a bed inside the house [source: Daily News]. In Sri Lankan culture, treating our parents with love and care is a core principle and virtue. Unfortunately, though ill-treatment of parents has become very common in our country today. It’s the reason why I decided to blog this post. Today, I want to share three reasons for honouring your parents and four ways you can honour them.

1. Your Parents are flawed like any other Human Being

Miley Cyrus sang, “Nobody’s perfect, I got to work it…” – Humans are flawed so are your parents and their parents. That makes you flawed. If your kids have kids, they’ll be flawed parents as well. Nobody is perfect and if anybody is perfect it means they are not human. Therefore, nothing your parents do or say can excuse you from honouring them.

2. You won’t be here today if it wasn’t for Your Parents

There are many forms of life on this earth but human life is the crown form of them all. It’s one reason why Coretta Scott King said, “Justice is never advanced in the taking of a human life.” (When a person’s life is taken, justice is never served.) You had the privilege of being born into human life because of your parents only. Hence, they deserve to receive your honour.

3. It’s Your parents’ DNA that makes You a unique Being

Scientists say women inherit 50% of their DNA from each parent and men inherit 51% from their mother and 49% from their father. You have an identity because you are unique. You are a unique product of your father’s DNA and your mother’s DNA combined. You won’t be if not for them. Now, let’s find out how to honour your parents.

4. You Honour Your Parents by Obeying Them

Someone said, “Obedience is better than sacrifice”. Obey your parents by submitting to their authority voluntarily not obligatorily. Submitting to the position even if you can’t submit to the person is a vital life skill and art you must master at home. The person may be a jerk – but you are to honour his position and honour the authority that is there.

5. You Honour Your Parents by Respecting Them

Douglas Kenney said, “The only time you truly become an adult is when you finally forgive your parents for being just as flawed as everyone else.” You respect your parents by accepting them and forgiving them for who they are. In case you feel, “Why should I accept my parents? I didn’t have a choice” remember, neither did they unless you were adopted. Besides one day you’re going to need truckloads of forgiveness from your children as well.

6. You Honour Your Parents by appreciating Them

Someone said, “Appreciate your parents. You never know what sacrifices they went through for you.” They have made physical, emotional, and even spiritual sacrifices for you sometimes! You can’t pay them back but you definitely can appreciate them by keeping in touch. That is an indicator to them they are still important, still matter to you, connected to you, and significant in your life.

7. You Honour Your Parents by Providing for Them

When you were young and unable to provide for yourself, your parents provided for you. As time passes the roles reverse. As your parents, age, they become unable to provide for themselves. Therefore, it’s your turn to provide for them. They didn’t leave you when you were young. So don’t turn your back on them, when they are old.

Wrap Up

The news is, the father, I mentioned at the beginning of this post died while receiving treatment in the hospital one month after he was rescued by the police. I am certain he died with a broken heart. According to UNICEF, there are 153 million orphans worldwide. You are blessed and privileged to have had parents you could look up to. Everything you are you owe to them. See to it that you honour them and treat them with respect while they are still alive.

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