Home feels like wildfire is ravaging through it. You are always at loggerheads with our parents and the house can’t seem to contain all of you.
Quick questions for you-
How many of these bush-fires are you causing?
How many rules did you break?
What could be happening now if you had just listened and obeyed the instructions of your parents?
It takes two to tango and a coin definitely has two sides. Don’t totally blame them for the heat in the house. They couldn’t have decided to make the house uncomfortable for you. You think they are because you are not having your way, you want your parents to be fine with your behavior and just keep quiet.
Check yourself very well and see where you did wrong. Find your faults, make amends, and see if the temperature won’t go down at home. See if the house won’t be large enough for everyone, Including you.
Prov. 2:1 “my child, you must follow and treasure my teachings and instructions.” CEVUK.
Be the peace you want to see at home.
Finally, remember God’s command about obeying your parents and the benefits of doing so. Take it to heart and practice it.
“Do not deceive yourselves by just listening to his word; instead, put it into practice.” James 1:22 GNT
God bless you richly as you honor your parents. Amen.
Prayer: Father, help me to scrutinize my ways and make changes in all the areas I need to. Help me.be the peace I want to see and enjoy at home, in Jesus name. Amen.
Action point: Scrutinize your words, actions, thoughts today, and see where your faults lie. When you find them, speak about them to your parents and ask for their help.
Declaration: My children are well behaved. They do not make the home uncomfortable for anyone. They do not set the home on fire by their actions and inactions.
Another good way to take care of your parents is by truly listening to them when they are speaking to you. Don’t be too quick to talk back, interrupt, grumble, or be rude to them. When you keep quiet and listen to them, you get to hear what they are saying, and what they want you to do.
Listening is also a way of showing that you care about them and their feelings. That you understand what they are going through. It’s hard enough being parents to you and your siblings, juggling work, church, the home and so many other parts of their lives.
Give them room to breathe by just hearing them out. That’s a way to take care of your parents. You think they are old fashioned or country bumpkins? They were once teenagers like you and understand you more than you know or can imagine.
After they finish speaking, then you can speak and tell them what you feel. That is honour, and that is a way to take care of your parents. And by the way, every parent loves to hear their children air their views.
Also learn to apologize, if you have to, and mean it. It’s also another way to take care of your parents.
This way, you get to listen and they get to listen to you too. Both parties have a win-win situation.
“My child, guard my sayings; store my commandments with you.” Proverbs 7:1 LEB
Prayer: God, please teach me to listen so I can understand what my parents are communicating to me concerning my actions.and words. Ask God to give you the grace to take care of your parents. Amen.
Action plan: The next time your parents are talking to you about something you did wrong, listen and don’t argue. Apologize when you should and need to.
Declaration: My children are good listeners. They don’t speak back to me. They are very cooperative.
We started out discussing this topic yesterday – on the ways we can take care of our parents. We will continue in that light today. Dear child, you have to understand that your parents are the guardians God has appointed over you, here on Earth. They are responsible for you and will give an account of their guardianship over you to God.
Help make their work easy by obeying them. Their actions are meant for your safety – physically, mentally, academically, and spiritually. They are working hard at giving you the life that God wants for you. That is what they are doing! They are not there to do you evil. Your parents do care for you and are making efforts to take care of you
Therefore, do not jeopardize the efforts of your parents and your future by not listening and following their instructions. See what the Bible says in the book of Proverbs:
Prov.4:20 ” my child, listen carefully to everything I say.”
By following the rules and instructions, you will grow into a humble and loving person. These rules and instructions, also, will help you discover, develop, and put to maximum use your God-given talents and potentials.
Your parents were put in your life for a reason – to teach you all about God and why He created you. God didn’t make a mistake by giving you to them.
Prayer: Pray for your parents: Lord, I declare I’m a good child. I make training easy for my parents. I want them to give a good account of me to you, Jesus name. Amen.
Action point: Be conscious of your actions towards your parents.
Declaration: My children are supportive. They love, value, and appreciate every work I do.
You should learn to take care of your parents. Yes, your parents! The two people that certainly know how to drive you mad. Adults with a boatload of rules, commands, and restrictions. They tell you to clean your room, wash dishes, sweep floors, don’t watch TV, and then say it’s their house and their rules.
They were never teenagers, right? One day they just ballooned into adults straight from infancy. What do they know about being a teenager? They are not nice, right?
Relax. Your parents love you very much and want the best for you. That’s why they put up all the restrictions and laws. Sure, it drives you nuts, but it still doesn’t change the fact that it’s for your own good. So you should learn to care of your parents.
They want to build you into a person with a well-balanced personality, character, and mindset. Their actions help you steer off some life issues that could mar your chances of living a very productive and peaceful life.
So, the next time Mummy or daddy says to you “wash your clothes often”, know that it’s for your own good. They don’t want you to be a dirty person. When your clothes reek of sweat and are dirty, people will not want to associate with you and you could get teased or mocked at school by your mates. This could affect your self-esteem, making you withdraw from others. You see that? So you parents love you, and so you should take care of your parents.
Even the Bible encourages us to keep clean as it portrays the state of our hearts before God.
Take your evil deeds out of my sight; stop doing wrong. Wash and make yourselves clean. Isaiah 1:16 NIV.
Again the Bible tells you to obey and honor your parents that it might be well with you. This also translates to taking care of your parents.
Ephesians 6:2-3 GW “Honor your father and mother, that everything may go well for you, and you may have a long life on earth.” This is an important commandment with a promise.
God bless you well as you do so. Amen.
Prayer: Almighty Father, help me to honor my parents by listening and obeying them. Help me to understand that all they do is for my own good. Amen.
Action Plan: Take time to appreciate God for your parents and seek to understand them, and seek to take care of your parents.
Declaration: My children are full of gratitude. They know and value us as their parents.
Words have power! The power of words can be readily seen in the story of creation, and in our lives too. Let’s look at a brief story of Amaka. Amaka scanned the sea of faces about her as she made her way to the assembly ground. It was her first day at the new school. She put on her best smile as the students passed her, hoping for a familiar face.
“Lord, let me find just one person that I know,” she prayed.
Suddenly someone in a hurry rushed past her and she fell to the ground. She looked at her bleeding knees and felt an ache around her ankle. How was she going to use the power of words?
“This was going to be hard,” she told herself as she got up.
“I hate this school!” she blurted out. “Why did mom even pick it for me?”
The bible makes us understand the immense power of our words. The power of words is real; see what the Scriptures say –
Prov. 13:2 “Be careful what you say and protect your life. A careless talker destroys his life.” (GNB)
This verse cautions us to watch what we say as our words are so powerful to create what we say. Our words can make or break us. What we say is what we see and become. The words you speak have an impact on your life.
The more you keep complaining about a situation, the more it worsens; that’s the power of words. Rather, choose to say positive words about it. You don’t deny that there is a problem, but you choose to look at it through positive lenses.
Use words that show you believe the situation will get better and won’t last forever. You have to keep believing that and let your actions show you believe. Learn to use the power of words to your advantage.
Amaka could have said “I am grateful that my parents are giving me an education. I will meet and make nice, God-fearing friends here. Things will work out well for me.”
This way, she’s is not focusing on what she doesn’t like about the school but rather, choosing to believe that she won’t find it rough there.
Finally, she could have just prayed about it to God. Prayer, also, is how you can exercise the power of words.
So, when next you feel like complaining about a situation or someone, remember to choose your words wisely.
Prayer: Lord God, thank you for your grace that helps me speak wisely. I will continually speak positive, pleasant, and life-giving words as from today. In Jesus name. Amen.
Action plan: What areas have you been speaking negatively about? Write as many as you can remember or know. Start to speak positively about them.
