The Fourth Day in Lent- The Fourth Commandment

"Honor your father and your mother"

It is good to have wise elders and mentors in the faith.  My father and mother, Clayt (who died in 2005) and Joanne (who just celebrated her 90th birthday), have been that for me.  In their quiet, unassuming way, they witnessed to God's love in the way they cared for us and others around them.  Good, steady, Lutheran stock of European heritage.  But as today's devotion suggests, the world, including the Lutheran world, has changed.  We have elders from all kinds of backgrounds whom we ought listen to and respect.  They bring a wealth of wisdom and experience in our midst.  To honor, is first and foremost to listen. It is to engage all the stories of faith that make up the diverse communities of faith today.  As we honor others, we honor God, the one who commands us to "honor, serve, obey, love, and respect" our parents and others in authority.  To do so builds healthy communities for both young and old.