5 Signs of a Functional Family: Children who Obey and Honor

“Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. ‘Honor your father and mother’ this is the first commandment with a promise” (Ephesians 6:1-2).

This is the final post in our 5 Signs of a Functional Family series. We've looked at An Attitude of Service, Intimacy Between the Husband and Wife, Husbands Who are Loving Leaders and Parents Who Both Teach and Train Their Children. All of these are signs of functional families. While the first four signs are primarily directed to parents and must be parent lead, the fifth and final sign is one which children bear the responsibility. 

Children who obey and honor their parents are children who are contributing to making their family a functional family. ​

​Just as parents have a two-fold responsibility to teach and train children, likewise children have a responsibility to both obey and honor their parents. ​

Obey and Honor

Webster’s dictionary defines these two words in the following way: ​

1. To obey is to listen attentively; to heed or conform to a command or authority.
2. To honor is to fix a valuation upon; to revere; honor, value. 

Notice obedience involves listening to AND applying, heeding, the instruction or command given by the parent(s). It is sometimes necessary for parents to ask a child to repeat back to them the request that has just been made to make sure that there has been clear understanding and then application can take place. ​

It may not be the wisest course of action or practice to make a habit of giving commands to a child while watching television or engaged in some other activity. A child is more likely to interpret the command as an option rather than an obligation if the one giving the command is not willing to give it the appropriate attention. Eye contact is crucial when instructing a young child and will set a precedent that will be carried through the years. Not only is a child expected to be obedient, but every child should be taught to honor parents, grandparents and others. If a child learns to show honor to others at home, he or she will be more likely to demonstrate the appropriate honor to others outside of the home as well.

Children are a wonderful blessing and an integral part of any home and family. It is through obedience and honor that they can make a significant contribution to the development of your family becoming a functional family.

What do you do in your home to be sure you children obey and honor those in authority?

Reprinted with permission | Pastor Jeremy Sweatt | Farmington Avenue Baptist Church, West Hartford, CT

---

Come and Gather: Family Time with God

Introducing Come and Gather: Family Time with God, or what we lovingly refer to as Gather.

Gather is a lovely, 35-page, daily devotional centered around families enjoying time together with God and each other.

​This 27-day devotional is divided into 3 parts: 

Part One: Days 1-5, is written specifically with husbands and wives in mind. In this part of Gather, husbands and wives will explore 5 Signs of a Functional Family.

5 Signs of a Functional Family includes:

1. An Attitude of Service
2. Intimacy Between the Husband and Wife
3. Husbands Who Are Loving Leaders
4. Parents Who Teach and Train
5. Children Who Honor and Obey​

Part Two: Days 6-20, is written with the whole family in mind. It's A Walk Through God’s Word. From Genesis to Revelation we will discuss subjects like God's mercy and protection, being humble, dealing with difficulties, having a teachable spirit, dependence on God, and much more.

Part Three: Days 21-27, is a Men of God Character Study. We'll learn character traits that every Christian should strive to demonstrate in their life straight from characters in God's Word. 

At the end of Gather, you'll find a place for your family to record specific prayer requests. I love being specific with my prayer request and seeing God answer in specific ways. Recording the answers, as well as the requests, is a great way to help your children see God working in your lives.

grab your copy of come and gather over in our little Etsy shop

---

Five Signs of a Functional Family is an older book, however, the principles for strong, functional families, that Chapman uses from God's Word have not changed and because of that I find this book still very relevant today. Plus, you can pick up a hardback copy on Amazon for less than $3.00!

"Strong, functional families do exist today. But if you want to establish healthy patterns in your own family, you'll need to learn how to recognize and apply the qualities they share. Gary Chapman introduces them in Five Signs of a Functional Family." —goodreads

---