The Mother-in-Law Dance by Annie Chapman

Author:Annie Chapman
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harvest House Publishers

Acceptance

Along with expressing words of appreciation and admiration for what the mother-in-law and the daughter-in-law have done, it is essential for each person to accept the God-given position the other holds in the family.

How does the daughter-in-law relate to the spiritual position given to the mother-in-law? Just as the son is instructed to honor and respect his parents, it is equally important for the daughter-in-law to do the same. (And, of course, the husband is to treat his wife’s parents with equal respect.)

When God presented Moses with the Ten Commandments, the fifth one—and the very first command that involved human/family relations—is the one in which we are instructed to honor our parents. This commandment is also referenced in Matthew 15:3-7. Jesus was asked by the religious leaders why He allowed His disciples to ignore the tradition of washing their hands before they ate. Jesus responded, “And why do your traditions violate the direct commandments of God? For instance, God’s law is ‘Honor your father and mother; anyone who reviles his parents must die.’ But you say, ‘Even if your parents are in need, you may give their support money to the church instead.’ And so, by your man-made rule, you nullify the direct command of God to honor and care for your parents. You hypocrites!” (TLB).

The words of Jesus leave no doubt that honoring our parents is a command that is required by God’s decree and an act that love demands. It is as vital and relevant now as it was in the Old Testament times.

Not only are we to honor our mothers-in-law even as we should honor our own mothers, but there is an additional responsibility if both the mother-in-law and the daughter-in-law are Christians. In Titus 2, younger women are to show respect and honor for the older women in the church. When we fully embrace the scriptural mandate of respecting and honoring our mothers-in-law, we are truly building a bridge across the chasm of our differences.

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