Heralds Digest

  “‘Honor your father and your mother, as the Lord your God has commanded you, that your days may be long, and that it may be well with you in the land which the Lord your God is giving you.” ‭‭Deuteronomy‬ ‭5:16‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ Long life is not necessarily an extension of days; but an extension of assignment. And if parenting or mentoring is conceived as a worthwhile assignment by anyone, such an individual has earned the right to receive honour (i.e., obedience, respect, and protection) from the mentees. Fathers and mothers, either in facts or figures, represent the evidence of living for God’s assignment, with respect to parenting. Therefore, anyone who wants to live for a similar level of assignment must learn how to show respect for older generations. God is simply saying praying for long life is the actual living for the honour of those who are committed to clearing the stage for our performance. Otherwise, there is no use adding days to life just for the sake of wasteful existence....

“Honor your father and your mother, as the LORD your God has commanded you, that your days may be long, and that it may be well with you in the land which the LORD your God is giving you...You shall walk in all the ways which the LORD your God has commanded you, that you may live and that it may be well with you, and that you may prolong your days in the land which you shall possess.” ‭‭Deuteronomy‬ ‭ 5:16 , 33‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ https://www.bible.com/114/deu.5.16,33.nkjv     The importance of loyalty and respect for constituted authority at home, workplace and the society is emphasized here in Moses’ review of God’s commandments. For an experience of long life and prosperity, the distinction between obedience and respect is however clarified. The call to obedience is to God, while the call to loyalty and respect is to our fathers and mothers or people in position of authority over us. And since both calls guarantee long life and prosperity, woes often seem to confront life at the c...