No More Nos

Children, obey your parents because you belong to the Lord, for this is the right thing to do. “Honor your father and mother.” This is the first commandment with a promise: If you honor your father and mother, “things will go well for you, and you will have a long life on the earth.”

EPHESIANS 6:1-3

YOU KNOW THAT MOMENT when you’ve got a great plan worked out with your friend—a weekend-long sleepover with a trip to the arcade and a pizza parlor, and you’ll stay up all night and watch 10 scary movies; it’s going to be a blast—until your parents say no.

NO!

No?

When we hear that word—the word that stops all great plans in their tracks—it’s frustrating. It can feel like parents just don’t understand. They don’t get it. It’s like when they say no to the new gaming system or no to the puppy you see at the pet store. It can even seem like all that parents ever say is no. Bummer.

Here’s the deal. Parents know what’s best. They get to make the rules. They decide. We may not understand why an answer is no, and it’s usually okay to ask why—if we’re respectful. But our parents are the best deciders in the family. God says it is very important for us to obey our parents because that way, things will go well for us. Our parents are our guardians, and they make decisions that protect us and keep us on the right track. The next time you hear “no” from your parents, trust them and remember that there’s a good reason for it.

DO

Interview your parents about how they make decisions. Ask them the following questions: What’s it like to be in charge of all the decisions for our family? How do you know when something isn’t a good idea? How do you feel when you say yes? What about when you say no?

PRAY

Dear God,

Thank you for putting parents in my life who love me and work to keep me safe. Please remind me to obey and respect my parents, even when they tell me no. Amen.

READ

Proverbs 23:22; Colossians 3:20