A wise son makes a father glad,
but a foolish man despises his mother.

Proverbs 15:20

This seems like a repetitive verse to our discussion on Day 3, but if we look closely we note that Proverbs 10:1 speaks from the mother’s point of view interacting with a foolish child while today’s key verse speaks from the foolish child’s point of view toward his or her mother. And it is not kind!

I want to point out first that this is an adult foolish child God is talking about here. This is a man or a woman. This is not a toddler stomping their foot and yelling at their mama, “I hate you!” That is hard enough for any mother to hear even knowing it is just an immature outburst. Now, imagine a mother being told that their adult foolish offspring despises them. Talk about sorrow upon sorrow. (Philippians 2:27)

Next, we need to look at this word, despise and it is not pretty. It means to hold or regard in contempt, to disdain, to view as worthless. In our key verse the idea is that of accusing their mother of being the reason the adult foolish offspring despises their mother! This same connotation is used describing Goliath’s reaction to David being the one to come out a fight him.

1 Samuel 17:42

And when the Philistine looked about, and saw David, he disdained him: for he was but a youth, and ruddy and of fair countenance. [Bold Mine]

Catch that little “for” in this verse. “for” gives the reason Goliath disdained David. Notice Goliath is basically blaming David for the disdain he feels because David was young and had fair skin. Likewise, the adult foolish child blames his or her mother for the ugly, ungodly and sinful feelings he or she is experiencing about their mother. You read that correctly, “sinful feelings”. 

Exodus 20:12

Honor your father and mother, that your days may be prolonged in the land which the LORD your God gives you.

Ephesians 6:1-3 expounds this very commandment by quoting it and then adding…(which is the first commandment with a promise.)

The very most vital fact to retain from these and other similar verses in the Bible is that there is no age limit in “Honor your father and mother”. None! The child to parent relationship changes as in “leaving and cleaving” but, this commandment (The fourth of the original ten) does not change. There are also no qualifiers, such as; only if your parents give you what you want or only if your parents don’t embarrass you or only if your parents are perfect or only if your parents never harmed you or anyone you loved.

This last one is the hardest qualifier to let go of and with just cause. I know because I have that just cause and, again, way too complex to expound here. All I have room for here is that God said, “Honor your father and mother” and He will help each of us in a very individual and personal way obey that command within each of our complex life experiences.   

Are our mothers always worthy of honor? Our we, as moms, always worthy of honor? No! But God did not make a mistake in giving us the mothers we have and we can thank and honor God for His sovereignty in that even when we struggle to honor our mothers over the specifics of our relationship with her. Then, over time, as we honor God for His provision of our mother/s, we will be able to honor our mothers as His provision.