“From there David went to Mizpah in Moab and said to the king of Moab, “Would you let my father and mother come and stay with you until I learn what God will do for me?” So he left them with the king of Moab, and they stayed with him as long as David was in the stronghold.” – 1 Samuel 22:3 – 4, NIV

Sometime back, I wrote how I didn’t have any sort of relationship with my father.

From Primary One up to university, I never received even a single pencil from my father.

Our longsuffering mother was our only rock throughout. May the good LORD bless her soul.

I have interacted with many people who were like me; they didn’t have a good relationship with both or one of their parents. 

Some are carrying deep wounds of terrible abuse and neglect.

They don’t know how to deal with it.

In our meditation today, we reflect on David and his parents.

From the earlier chapters of I Samuel, we learn that David didn’t have the best of relationships with his father, Jesse.

I mean if the Archbishop visits a home and all the children are introduced to greet him but one of the boys is neither mentioned nor called from the garden, what does it mean in terms of being a loved child?

Anyway, David is eventually chosen as the next king, the king calls him to serve him in the palace and joins the national army.

However, he falls out with the king and becomes the most wanted man in the kingdom – dead or alive.  He flees into hiding.

While there, he starts wondering what would happen to his aging parents. He worries that they could also become a target for the king’s ire.

Of course he was the youngest boy in the family and definitely didn’t have money; he was a vagabond hiding in caves.

Still, David does not give up.  He decides to take the risk of going to the neighbouring country of Moab and asks the king there to allow his parents to stay with him.

“But if any widow has children or grandchildren, they must first learn to practice piety in regard to their own family and to make some return to their parents; for this is acceptable in the sight of God.”

1 TIMOTHY 5:4

What this teaches us is that regardless of the relationship we had with our parents, we have the responsibility and duty to care for them.

Secondly, we necessarily don’t have to be rich or the oldest or in the best of circumstances in order to support our parents.

Is it any wonder that David was described by God as “a man after my own heart”?

The Word of God admonishes us to: “Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be prolonged in the land which the Lord your God gives you.”

It does not say ‘honour only those parents who loved you and cared for you or those who are poor and in need.’

Indeed, the Law of Moses required that anyone who spoke evil of his father or mother would be put to death! (Mark 7:10).

1Timothy 5:4 says, “But if any widow has children or grandchildren, they must first learn to practice piety in regard to their own family and to make some return to their parents; for this is acceptable in the sight of God.”

The point here is that it is displeasing (an unacceptable) to God for parents to suffer when they have children and grandchildren who purport to be God-fearing and ‘pious.’

“Such Christians must first learn to practice piety in regard to their own family and to make some return to their parents,” stresses the Word of God.

I know that sometimes there is the temptation (or are they demands?) to give loads of money to the Church (and so-called ‘spiritual fathers’) at the expense of our natural parents.

Well, according to the Scripture above, it shows we have our ‘piety’ priorities upside down!

Even our Lord Jesus cared for His mother and left her in the care of John, His most beloved disciple (John 19:26-27).

So, to what extent are we practicing our “piety” in regard to our parents?

This Christmas, let’s make it a point to surprise them by “making a good [financial] return to our parents.”  

God will be exceedingly pleased! They’re our only parents; we can never get another father or mother.

Prayer:

Almighty God, thank you for my parents and grandparents. Help me to do all I can to honour them by taking care of them, protecting them and meeting their needs.

For the glory of Your Name, Amen!