"Honor your father and your mother, that you may live long in the land the LORD your God is giving you." (Exodus 20:12) "
'Honor your father and mother, that you may be blessed and live a long life.' the commandment of promise." (Ephesians 6:2-3)

1. Definition of "filial piety"

• Giving an award to someone, affirming someone's value, and this value originally belongs to that person.
• The opposite of "filial piety" is "regarding him as having no value" or "not honored a person as what he is worth"

2. Know your parents

a. Authoritarian parents: Parents set many restrictions and expectations for their children; parents strictly enforcing the rules, children following orders.
b. Indulgent parents: Parents' restraint on the children's behavior is very limited. The attitude of the parents is easy-going and communicating, but they do not have any authority.
c. Uninvolved parents: Parents do not have any expectations and requirements for their children, and at the same time, they are too lazy to pay attention to or respond to their children's requests. A small number of parents show neglect, negligence, or even refusal to assume the role of parents.
d. Authoritative parents: There are family rules, but they are rather flexible; parents not only take the initiative to explain the reasons for making family rules to their children, but also practice it themselves. Children can not only understand that the "restriction" is out of "love", but also feel the love of their parents and the warmth of the family.

3. Parents' behavioral attitudes

The following five behavioral attitudes often provoke children's anger and hurt them. Have these things happened to you?
a. Excessive discipline: setting standards that are difficult to meet.
b. Promises not kept: not doing as having promised.
c. Inconsistence: actions not the same as speeches.
d. Emotions uncontrolled: venting emotions upon children.
e. Imposing comparisons: comparing with other children.

4. Disengagement from the emotions of victims: Reconciling with parents

Sometimes parents physically or verbally abuse their children and hurt them, but we cannot be enslaved by the emotions of being victims so as to lose our freedom.

• We cannot control the actions of others; we can only control our own reactions.
• Love and forgive.
• Imitate Christ and choose to love while we are still sinners (Romans 5:8).
• Choose to forgive when the other person is not yet aware of their fault (Luke 23:34).
• Pray for release and forgiveness for yourself and your parents.
• "We do not suffer for lack of religion, but for lack of love".

5. Action

• Always honor your parents.
• Support and care.
• Thank God for your parents.
• Respect your parents
  • Because parents are fulfilling their calling (Deuteronomy 6:6-9, Hebrews 12:8-11, Isaiah 54:13).
  • Pay tribute to them, publicly praise and affirm them for their contributions to the family.
  • Let your parents share your achievements and be honored in the presence of others (Proverbs 17:6, John 17:1, 4).
• Express love: Five Words of Love
  • Words of Affirmation: Use words of praise and encouragement to make the other person feel being loved. Can be spoken or written.
  • Precious Moments: This love language focuses on attention, it sends the message: You are important and I love being with you. Doing this makes the other person feel that in your mind, he/she is the most important person in the world. He/she feels truly loved because he/she totally owns you.
  • Giving gifts: The gift is an expression that I am thinking of you. Most gifts need to be thoughtful, and it is this kind of thoughtfulness that expresses love.
  • Acts of Service: When expressing love through acts of service, you are willing to let go of your own needs to serve Him. You express your love by showing your love by being willing to serve the other person and do what pleases the other person.
  • Physical Touch: Hugs are the most common way to express love, and physical touch is one of the most powerful love languages.

Respecting Parents