"It's Complicated" is our series at Fusion Christian Church on relationships. Everyone knows our relationships are messy, but not everyone knows how to navigate them. This series will provide godly, biblical principles for keeping your relationships much less complicated! In Part 4, Pastor Zac teaches about honoring your parents.

We honor our parents, even when it’s complicated, because it’s right.

Honoring your parents is what God calls us to do even when it is difficult or confusing. Sometimes understanding honor properly is easier when we define what honoring our parents is NOT. Firstly, honoring your parents does not mean blind obedience throughout your life. As a child especially, obedience is right and even necessary. As an adult, you are no longer required to blindly obey everything your parents say, but you are still called to respect them.

Honor also does not mean approving of sinful or destructive choices. Sometimes your parents will do the wrong thing, you do not have to approve of that. Honor also does not require you to remain in an abusive situation or relationship. If it is not safe, you are not required to stay. Finally, honor is not compromising your own marriage, faith, or calling in order to make your parents happy. Within these limitations, do your best to show respect to your parents in all situations.

Choosing respect over disrespect.

This can be most difficult when you disagree with your parents. However honor does not require agreement. You can still show respect for your parents even if you end up choosing something other than what they would. It is up to us to choose to respect rather than disrespect our parents.

Choosing care over caring-less.

As parents age, it is important for their children to take care of them as best they can. We should not put off care of our parents onto others when we are able to do it. Showing honor and love for our parents means ensuring they are cared for in their old age.

Choosing forgiveness over bitterness.

 Family can hurt us worse than anyone else. The wounds are deeper and harder to mend. Christians are still to forgive. Forgiving others does not mean we must allow them to hurt us again, but it does mean we cannot cling to bitterness. Unforgiveness has destroyed millions of relationships. Christians should not allow this to happen with our relationships by harboring an unforgiving attitude. Christ calls us to forgive, and if we cannot forgive our parents, who will we forgive?