Yesterday's sermon was a good one. We are having a series on the Ten Commandments and are on the 6th commandment, Exodus 20:12,“Honor your father and mother. Then you will live a long, full life in the land the Lord your God is giving you."
Oh how I wish my eyes and ears were opened to The Word when I was young so that I could have really seen my father in different eyes and gave him honor and obedience when I was young.
Growing up I was scared of him, he yelled and said a lot of things that were hurtful to me, but I had it coming since I was living life without any cares and doing things I wanted rather than heeding any instruction at all. Things were never my fault, always everyone elses.
Back then I didn't know that he was only trying to help me and in the best way he knew how. I ave learned that parents really do the best from what they know, and if it isn't up to our standards we are to forgive them and honor and respect them anyway.
Now that I know differently and wish I would have listened to my father when I had the time to do so and could have made my life a lot easier. I didn't know what he meant by a lot of things he said and now I wish I would have felt compelled to ask him to explain what he wanted to tell me. I know what he was trying to say was much different than what I thought I heard.
The pastor shared this with us,
"When I was a boy of fourteen, my
father was so ignorant I could hardly stand to have the old man around. But when
I got to be twenty-one, I was astonished by how much he'd learned in seven
years.” - Mark Twain
I wrote this one down as I completely related to it. It made me realize that all this time I thought my dad had changed when in fact it was mostly me who changed. I grew up and became wiser.
Sure my dad did change - he stopped drinking and wasn't as mouthy or mean as he was when I was 13 - he became gentile and caring. I thought it was he who grew this way but I can see it goes both ways. I know in my heart that he held high hopes for me and expectations as any father does. It was only until I got older that I understood all along that he was instructing me to be different. I just didn't listen. I had to live the hard way and find out for myself.
I am so appreciative that I had time before my dad passed on to reconcile with him. To show him that I honored and respected him. I am very lucky where others are not.
So I am a slow learner here...but I am learning and I am loving learning whenever I can! I just wish it didn't hurt anyone in the process. I am so thankful for the living Word that speaks to me and for the Holy Spirit that was given to me through Christ.
