An increasing number of adult children are marginalizing or cutting off their aging parents.
However, even secular sources recognize that “Grandparent alienation is a type of elder abuse … when grandparents are unreasonably denied meaningful opportunities to have a relationship and spend time with their grandchildren.” (source)
God couldn’t be clearer about honoring parents:
Exodus 20:12 and Ephesians 6:1-3 command it with a promise attached to stress its importance.
During Old Testament times, Exodus 21:15,17, Leviticus 20:9, and Deuteronomy 21:18-21 called for the death of children who attacked or “cursed”* their parents.(1)
Deuteronomy 5:16, 27:16, and Leviticus 19:3 further stress honoring parents, and Proverbs 19:26, 20:20, 28:24, and 30:17 strongly rebuke those who curse, scorn, or rob their parents.
Romans 1:28-32 and 2 Timothy 3:1-3 list evil practices of depraved people, and disrespect for parents is on both lists.
First Timothy 5:3-4,8 explains the duty of children to care for the needs of their parents.
And in Matthew 15:1-9, Christ rebukes the Pharisees for encouraging people to prioritize the church above their parents. He refers to this as cursing* their parents, letting us know that cursing parents is not simply about words. And He ends with this strong statement:
“These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. They worship me in vain; their teachings are merely human rules.”
If we dishonor our parents, we also dishonor God, bringing damage to our souls.
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(1) These were Old Testament civil laws given to the nation of Israel during a specific time in their history, a time when they were learning to follow God and separate themselves from the pagan nations around them. The death sentence is not part of the New Covenant in Christ, but this shows how God views disrespect for parents.
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