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Tim Maas
Supporter
In Exodus 20:12, God commanded all of Israel (and, by extension, all of humanity) to honor their respective fathers and mothers (including a promise of a benefit if they did so). In Ephesians 6:1-4, Paul also told children to love their parents, and additionally told parents not to exasperate their children. Even if feelings or emotions cannot be produced at will, concrete actions CAN be. Just as in the case of loving our neighbors, if we obey God by behaving in a loving manner toward others (including parents and children) -- regardless of how we may initially "feel" about them -- we will find over time that our feelings will follow our actions. Parents should also apply this same guidance to children, even if those children act in a disrespectful or hostile manner. At the very least, even if the children never develop love for their parents, the parents will have done all that God requires of them, and can then leave the judgment of the children to God.
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