Honoring fathers and mothers, honoring daughters and sons... this is what we want to be doing as a church body. I never thought about it much. I never thought I had much of an issue with "dishonoring" my parents...
...one of them wasn't in the picture anymore...
...one of them I obeyed, I honored, and I knew it too.
And then there's my step-dad... who deserves all the honor I can muster, who I wish I could truly show enough honor to. He's one of the most faithful men I've ever met. And he's not stubborn, or mean, or closed-minded. I hope it will be my honor to honor him in a huge, public way someday... with thousands of people around... and maybe he'll be given a plaque... or a bridge will be named after him. Whatever the case, it is easy for me to honor my step-dad. I tell him all the time that I'm so thankful God brought him into my family's life.
But we talked about something more difficult tonight--something more humiliating (if we're gonna take seriously what honoring someone means). Because how do we honor the parents that aren't faithful, that aren't understanding, that don't listen or care or stick around long enough to do either of those things...?
Nate said we honor our parents not because of their honorability, but because of who they are to us... and because of who we are as followers of Christ...
I won't write much more tonight--it's been a long day. (But Nate also told everyone I blog, so I'm gonna remain honorable to that...)
I will say one more thing for now.
Christ calls us to be humble, and I think (even when it comes to parents who might not deserve honor), humility does not discriminate on the basis of warrant or entitlement...
So:
I think even Christ would wash my father's feet...
I think my mom would sit and listen to Jesus, pour out perfume for Him (and be praised by Him after the harsh rebuke of others)...
I think God is asking me to pray for my step-dad and ask how I can display my gratitude to him and not take it all for granted.
And I think I'm going to bed... right now.
P.S. We have a new series coming up... it's called, "We love. We make babies." Be sure to come check it out. Nate will want you to invite your mom.
8 comments:
"or a bridge will be named after him..."
hahah.
good words JB.
Jenna, what in the world..!?
You are so AMAZING. I don't think I can tell you that enough. I talked with Sarah Bram today for 4 hours straight about honor and by the end it all came down to healing. Asking God to heal our hearts. Asking Him to show us the healing He's already done. Asking what it is we need healing from and how to get it. Then I come home and find your comment to say that very thing. Ha!
God is working. He is good. He's faithful. Thank you for being obedient and letting Him work through you. Whoo hoo!
Are you free for coffee this week?
Can I come too???
haha... oh man... He really is incredible...
it just overwhelms my tiny little heart and mind sometimes...
coffee sounds awesome! and yes, miss sarah, you can come too... if it's ok with heather ;).
jenna_loo@hotmail.com, shoot me an email!
Absolutely Sarah can come too! We can have our own little Jesus pow wow! And thanks, once again, for reminding me I have a "tiny little heart and mind." Sometimes pride creeps in and I think it's real big!
Awww... I love you Jenna!
Can't wait to bring my mom to the new series..I think she's even trying to plan her visit around it...although I wonder how it will apply to people like us...maybe it will help get things into action;)..I better start preparing now for my life/ministry change come Nov;)
you're beautiful. love you.
Jenna, every single thing you write on here blows me away! I so wish I could express my thoughts like you can... but the world needs some balance, so i guess pointless blogs about delicious mints and accordion playing kittens will continue to be my blogger calling... for now.
so good ... I'm grateful to be apart of our church ... we love ... we make babies ... we blog ...
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