Honoring Your Family

This week, Jake and Bob talk about the relationship between parents and children and what it means to honor one another while also being honest about the wounds we've experienced. They explore the dignity of parenthood, the responsibility parents have to create a loving and secure home, and their call to model honor by honoring their children first. They also discuss the honor our parents deserve, how to honor someone who has wounded us, and how to create healthy boundaries in family relationships. Key Points: Many times, in families, we must learn how to honor others while remaining honest about the ways they have wounded us. Parents are a child's first representatives of God. But parents have their own wounds and sin and have the capacity to distort a child's understanding of God. While children are called to honor their parents, parents are not meant to occupy the place that belongs to God alone. Getting married involves a healthy separation from one's parents so that a new family can be established. The honor owed to parents is connected to their dignity and role, even when they do not always live according to the dignity of that role. Understanding the stories and wounds of both parents and children helps us to form healthier relationships with family members. A child's wounds do not excuse disrespect, just as a parent's wounds do not excuse harmful behavior. Forgiveness is essential to breaking the cycle in which parents and children continually wound one another. Forgiveness does not mean returning to an unsafe relationship or abandoning the boundaries necessary to protect one's dignity and family. Healthy boundaries can create enough space for love to remain without allowing unhealthy attachment or enmeshment to continue. The amount of distance necessary in a relationship can change as circumstances, maturity, trust, and safety change. Parents have a responsibility to pursue their own holiness and healing rather than expecting their children to compensate for their wounds. Children are also called to examine their own hearts, repent of disrespect, and take responsibility for the ways they have wounded their parents. Resources: Submit a Question for a Future Show Chapters: 00:00 Introduction 03:38 What Does the Church Say About Family Wounds? 11:15 What Does it Mean to Honor One Another? 19:35 Recognizing Our Own Parent's Imperfections 26:23 Forgiveness within Families 32:48 The Responsibility of Parents 38:01 The Responsibility of Children 42:36 Discernment in Setting Boundaries Connect with Restore the Glory: Instagram: @restoretheglorypodcast Twitter: @RestoreGloryPod Facebook: Restore the Glory Podcast Never miss out on an episode by hitting the subscribe button right now! Help other people find the show and grow in holiness by sharing this podcast with them individually or on your social media. Thanks!