Honor Thy Parents

“Honor your father and your mother,

so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you.”

Exodus 20:12

Honoring Our Parents

There is a question on the MD5 assessment that asks about honoring our father and mother. This question usually scores high, but during one-on-one breakfasts with almost any MD5 man, you’ll often hear, “I need to spend more time with my parents.” Hopefully, how we treat our parents will have a great influence on the way our children treat us.

An Interesting Concept

Honoring our parents is not only about how we treat them during their lives, but also how we honor them as they close out their lives. Recently, an MD5 man told me that his mother had been helping loved ones die for two decades. I asked what he meant, and he said, “She was the primary caregiver for my father and two of her sisters until each had passed.” That really made me think—because I realized my mother had been doing the same thing for over ten years.

A Great Blessing

My mother is one of the greatest blessings in my life, and I am continually amazed by her energy and zest for life. She was the primary caregiver for my father and was solely dedicated to his care for over five years. Shortly after burying my father, my mother’s only sibling was diagnosed with terminal cancer. My mother was there until her sister passed. She gave so much of her energy to keep both my father and my aunt out of nursing homes. Now, my sister and I are doing our best to heavily invest our time in our mother, who has given so much of herself to serve others.

Behind some of the greatest men I know is—or has been—a great mother. I know several MD5 men who have lost their mothers over the past year. Others are now helping their mothers close out their lives.

Mother's Day Challenge

During our time in MD5, we focused on building a plan. So now is the time to create a plan to honor your mother. One month from today, we’ll be celebrating Mother’s Day. Cards and flowers are nice, but what our moms really want is our time.

So here’s your notice: make plans to spend time with your mother.

Roger Smithson

MD5 Facilitator