Lies in Disguise: Dishonoring Parents

“Our world faces an epidemic of broken family relationships. Some statistics show that as many as 25 percent of American adults are estranged from their parents, with the children most often initiating separation.” 

“The self-esteem movement helped create this problem by making people feel they deserve parents who constantly praise, support, and affirm them. The psychology of boundaries followed close behind this movement to encourage judgmental ultimatums.” 

“If you look for resources on parent-child estrangements, you’ll find many of them blame parents and sympathize with the adult children. But let’s look at this issue logically and biblically, not culturally.” ~ Quote from Chapter 6 in Lies in Disguise. 

Modern culture encourages a victim mentality, and parents are often the scapegoat. When Christians buy into this worldly belief, they lose more blessings than they can imagine. But that is exactly why Satan promotes so many lies in disguise about the parent/child relationship.

Ephesians 6:2-3 explains that honoring parents is a command with a promise attached. And while we may hear sermons on forgiving our parents (Mark 11:25), we rarely hear sermons about honoring them by giving up our selfish desires (Philippians 2:3-4) and doing the hard work of reconciliation when we have problems (Matthew 5:23-24).

Instead we hear half-truth claims that we should set up boundaries with parents who are annoying or difficult as if God only wants us to obey His commands when they are easy. 

If we want to be blessed and grow in our people skills, we'll quit listening to these half-truths and listen to the full truth of Scripture. 

✞✞✞

This command has been heavy on my heart for many years. I'm grateful that I started studying the importance of honoring parents when I was in my late 30's so I could show honor to them before they died. But my concern for this command has grown as I've seen the effects of the self-esteem and Boundaries movement in the lives of friends and family. It is so clear that Satan loves to see people avoid mature people skills and lose God's blessings.

This is why I've included this subject in my Lies in Disguise book. When we understand the concept of honoring parents, we bring blessings into our lives and the lives of our children. And we are also equipped to counsel other Christians about the healing and joy that comes through honoring parents.

To read about the other half-truths addresses in my book, please see Lies in Disguise.

💙Currently available from the publisher with a discount: Lies in Disguise. Also available on Amazon: Lies in Disguise. And in the UK: CLC-UK or Eden UK.