MORAL OBEDIENCE TO THE FIFTH COMMANDMENT:

We have seen from the example of Christ Jesus that we can honor both God and our
earthly parents. And this is also seen in the teachings of Christian Science.

In Christian Science, we are taught that God is our true Father-Mother, the only Cause
and Creator. We are to honor and obey Him. But, this does not mean we are not to
honor our moms and dads, especially young children. Mrs. Eddy made this even
clearer in a letter dated May 19, 1893: "The advice of loving your loving parents
who have more experience than their children, is of great importance; remember this.
All remember the commandment 'Honor thy father and thy mother,' etc. Not for the
world would I have you break one of the Commands in the Hebrew Decalogue, it
would unfit you for Christian Science, it would darken your mind so that you could
not comply with the requirements of Christ in healing the sick and casting out error."

In notes recorded by Dr. Alfred E. Baker, MD, CSD, during his association with
Mrs. Eddy, we find this "Child's Prayer" attributed to Mrs. Eddy : "Dear Father, I
want to love Thee supremely; I want to be unselfish, temperate, pure and good; I

want to love and honor my earthly parents, and so be able to uplift humanity. I know

that God is good, and that He hath made me in His own likeness, harmonious and

immortal; and I will strive daily not to make myself appear otherwise. I thank Thee

now and forevermore. Amen."

A child or adult sincerely living up to that simple prayer, could not help but honor
both God and earthly family. All efforts to be the "image and likeness" of God will
help us to claim "the land" -- the firm foundation in spiritual understanding -- that
God promised to us in the Fifth Commandment. His promise that "thy days may be
long" will be fulfilled.

Another prayer written by Mrs. Eddy as a gift for "the little children," may help turn
their thoughts to God as Father-Mother. It can be found in Miscellaneous Writings,
page 400, or in Poems by Mary Baker Eddy, on page 69.

A VERSE

Mother's New Year Gift to the Little Children

"Father-Mother God,
loving me, --
Guard me when I sleep;
Guide my little feet
up to Thee."


Even though we teach our children that God is our Father-Mother, and we are to
develop a close relationship with Him, Mrs. Eddy also makes clear that children are
to be obedient to their parents. She writes: "Children should obey their parents;

insubordination is an evil, blighting the buddings of self-government." (S&H 236)


Just before that citation, Mrs. Eddy indicates the importance of "mothers" in the life
of children: "A mother is the strongest educator, either for or against crime. Her
thoughts form the embryo of another mortal mind, and unconsciously mould it, either
after a model odious to herself or through divine influence, 'according to the pattern
showed to thee in the mount.'" (S&H 236)

Mrs. Eddy elsewhere defines the proper education for children: "The entire educa-

tion of children should be such as to form habits of obedience to the moral and

spiritual law, with which the child can meet and master the belief in so-called

physical laws, a belief which breeds disease." (S&H 62)

We can see from the above that we are not serving our children well if we allow them
to grow up without learning how to be obedient to their parents, and treating them with
respect, and to honor them. Naturally, parents would also want to do their best to be
worthy of such obedience, honor, and respect, and to treat their children with love.

That reminds me of a prayer I've been seeing around recently:

"Dear Lord, please help me to be the kind of person my dog thinks I am!"

One of the lessons in my book on the Ten Commandments begins with this question:
"What about children who are being raised by foster, adoptive, or step-parents, or their
own parents do not behave as normal parents should?" This is a question that would be
of interest to most Sunday School classes, since so many children today are faced with
this issue, or have friends who are. In my book, I stated, in part:

"It is sad to be separated from one, or both, of our parents. It is also hard if we have a
parent or guardian who is abusive, or less than loving to us, and who does not seem to
deserve being honored. Either way, it is an opportunity to turn with our whole heart to
God, and acknowledge Him as our one true Parent, the Father-Mother of us all. God's
loving embrace includes the wisdom and guidance we need to get along with others,
and find a sense of warmth and belonging. His angel messages can point us to the
human footsteps to take, if we need help or intervention . . . Rarely is there a reason

not to honor and obey those who are given the responsibility to care for us in our

childhood on earth. We can pray to God, and trust Him to guide our family, no matter

what form it seems to take -- big, small, 'blended,' 'chosen,' or 'temporary.'

(First Lessons, Volume One: The Ten Commandments, pg. 36, by Vicki Jones Cole)

What about those specific times when children may feel their parents are doing
something that does not feel morally, legally, or spiritually right, and the children feel
forced to participate? Are they bound by the Fifth Commandment to always go along
with their parents unquestioningly? This is not easy. It's a situation that calls for
prayer and maybe a little prayerful intervention by adults close to the situation. When
a child is old enough, this counsel of Mrs. Eddy should be considered: "To the child
complaining of his parents we have said, 'Love and honor thy parents, and yield
obedience to them in all that is right; but you have the rights of conscience, as we all
have, and must follow God in all your ways." (Miscellaneous Writings, pg. 236)

I love how Mrs. Eddy supports the ideas behind the Ten Commandments, including the
fifth one, by encouraging us to obey the moral requirements of God's law as outlined in
the Bible. Even though our goal is to demonstrate our spiritual perfection, and not
needing a bunch of "thou shalt nots," we all have to start our spiritual journey some-
where. The Commandments help to guide us along until we can commune easily with
God and get our daily guidance direct from Him. As material beliefs fade away, we
will start to see what it means to have God as our Father-Mother. As our understanding
of God's nature deepens, we will have further enlightenment about God and man. But,
until then, our relationship with our earthly parents is a wonderful training ground, rich
with lessons to learn. Obedience to the Fifth Commandment is one of them.

We honor our earthly parents by being obedient to them, respecting them, expressing
our gratitude and appreciation for them, and doing our part to make the family circle

a happy and harmonious one. We honor them by separating from them and taking care

of ourselves when grown, and not putting burdens on them needlessly. We honor them

by making sure they are taken care of in their senior years, if they become unable to

manage on their own. We do this with love and gratitude, not grudgingly.

"Honour thy father and thy mother, as the Lord God hath commanded thee; that thy days
may be prolonged, and that it may go well with thee, in the land which the Lord thy
God giveth thee." (Deuteronomy 5:16)

"Children, obey your parents in all things: for this is well pleasing unto the Lord.
Fathers, provoke not your children to anger, lest they be discouraged." (Col. 3:20-21)

"Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right. Honour thy father and mother;
(which is the first commandment with promise;) That it may be well with thee, and thou
mayest live long on the earth. And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but
bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord." (Ephesians 6:1-4)

And, again: "All honor and success to those who honor their father and mother."
(Mary Baker Eddy in Message to The Mother Church 1901, pg. 29)

HONORING OUR FATHER-MOTHER GOD

In an earlier quote, we saw that Mrs. Eddy tells us that "after we have honored our
father and mother, then comes the next step -- forsaking the flesh for Christ." This is
telling us that we must eventually learn our true identity -- that we are the offspring
of God -- "heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ." We have to forsake our old
beliefs and be receptive to the message of Christ.

We know from the Bible that Jesus honored God and called Him, "Father." In
Christian Science, we are taught that God is also our Mother. Our authority for this
is in Genesis. If God was able to create man both "male and female," and man was
made in "our" image, not just "my" image, then God must be Mother as well as Father.
This interpretation was revealed to Mrs. Eddy and to others who also see God as
Mother. A fuller (and better!) explanation of God's motherhood is found throughout
"Science and Health." Simply put, God's motherhood is seen in Her nature as divine
Love, that aspect of God which comforts, governs, inspires, plans, leads, completes,
and fulfills.

Any Sunday School discussion of the Fifth Commandment, would want to include the
idea that God, the divine Mind, should also be the focus of our "honor" that is due a
parent. Some citations to study are:

"Mind is the grand creator, and there can be no power except that which is derived
from Mind. If Mind was first chronologically, is first potentially, and must be first
eternally, then give to Mind the glory, honor, dominion, and power everlastingly due
its holy name." (S&H 143:26-31)

"If Christian Science dishonors human belief, it honors spiritual understanding; and
the one Mind only is entitled to honor." (S&H 183:29)

"Honor thy Father and Mother, God. Continue in His love."
(Miscellaneous Writings, pg. 154:23)

In 1885, Mary Baker Eddy was allowed ten minutes on the platform at Tremont
Temple in Boston to answer the criticisms that had been put forth in a public letter by
the pastor. Her answer to one question helps us to see her thought about God as
Father-Mother, and how this concept evolves through spiritual understanding:

"Do I believe in a personal God? I believe in God as the Supreme Being. I know not
what the person of omnipotence and omnipresence is, or what the infinite includes;
therefore, I worship that of which I can conceive, first, as a loving Father and Mother;
then, as thought ascends the scale of being to diviner consciousness, God becomes to
me, as to the apostle who declared it, "God is Love," -- divine Principle, -- which I
worship; and after the manner of my fathers, so worship I God.'" (Miscellaneous
Writings, pg. 96)

Exploring the concept of God being our Father-Mother is an on-going discovery.
The Bible is full of examples of God's care for us. The writings of Mary Baker Eddy
contain countless ideas on this subject. Once we know for sure we are God's offspring,
we will want to find practical ways to honor Him in our lives. How to do that would
make a good Sunday School discussion. The next section includes ideas on teaching
the Fifth Commandment to children.

Click here to continue with the Fifth Commandment