[Gary Petty] This is the last BT Daily in our series we’ve been doing on “Honoring Your Parents”. And we’ve been showing how we can teach children honor. Now, one of the things we can do as parents and grandparents in teaching our children is that we show respect and honor to others, so they see how this behavior is modeled. Let me read to you something – it’s in the book of Leviticus in the Bible. It says, “Rise in the presence of the aged. Show respect for the elderly and revere your God. I am the Lord” (Leviticus 19:32). Show respect for the elderly. One of the most important things you can do with your children is show honor and respect towards older people, people older than you, especially elderly people. They see you do that.

I have very vivid memory of when I was a child. My dad would go out once a month or so, and he would visit some elderly people he knew in his local congregation. And he would take me with him. And I would go as a child and you know, play out in the backyard or whatever. But as time went on, I would end up sitting down with them and talking to the elder people. And I built a relationship with those people. And after a while, I noticed that they respected me, that they honored me. Even though I was only twelve years old, I was accepted as part of their community, as part of their family. And I got to where I looked forward going with my dad to see these elderly people, as he showed respect to them. It helped me learn to show respect.

So one of the things you can do to teach children to honor you is make sure you’re honoring those – and they see that behavior – people who are older than you.

That’s BT Daily. Join us next time.