January 6: Ephesians 6 1-4

Key Verse: Ephesians 6 2
“Honour your father and mother” - which is the first commandment with a promise -

Devotion:
How much have you done for your parents over the holiday period? How much have you done which they objected to? How much have you done to make their life more comfortable? How much have you done to annoy them in one way or another?

It is so easy to fall in line with what your friends are doing and to allow their influence to rule your life. It is so easy to try to fit in with the crowd to make your life easier... But how much thought do you give to the people in your family? How much thought do you give to the people who are closest to you? How much though do you give to God?

The Bible teaches us many things, and one of the most important things is love. This love stretches from God down to the smallest and tiniest things in our lives. There is no one person who should be left out of that love just because our friends say so.

It is a two way thing – your parents have shown you their love from the early years of your life, they have brought you up in the way that they believed was correct and right – and now you have the chance to show them your love by sharing with them, by loving them, by listening to them, by following their lead. But what happens if they are not saved? Well, then your love should extend to allow them to see in you what the Lord is doing in your life, allow them to experience the love of God, allow them to experience a tiny bit of what they can have if they would turn to God. Let them know why you have changed, let them know of God's love, let them know there is a reason.

Stick to the discipline of the drug dealers, and you will die as one of them... stick to the discipline of a Christian, and you will live as one of us!

Points to Ponder:
Have you done anything positive for your parents today?

Are you doing anything positive for the Holy Spirit today?