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As Christian parents, one of our most important jobs is to teach our children to honor and respect authority. God is the source of all authority, and He is the one who established it.
God placed such importance on honoring authority that He made it part of the Ten Commandments: “Honor your father and your mother.” From the very beginning, God set the stage that authority is good, and that honoring it is essential.
But when we start talking about authority, things can get complicated. Many of us have been hurt by authority. Some of us grew up in homes where authority was misused. I understand that because that was my story, too.
Wrestling with Authority
God gives authority to protect, provide for, and bless those under it. But when authority is misused, it can do great harm. And when you’ve been on the receiving end of that harm, trusting authority again—even God’s authority—can be a struggle.
I grew up in an alcoholic home, and my early experiences taught me to run from authority, not trust it. It wasn’t until I came to know Jesus that I began to see authority differently. Still, even after becoming a Christian, I felt like I was separated from biblical truths by a barrier I couldn’t cross. My heart had built up walls to protect me from being hurt again.
But God, in His kindness, patiently walked me through the process of renewing my mind. He taught me that His authority isn’t like what I had known. His authority is loving. It’s safe. It’s for my good.
Teaching Our Children Starts with Us
When I became a mom, I realized I couldn’t teach my children to honor authority if I didn’t first understand it and live it myself. I had to ask hard questions: How was I responding to authority? How was I talking to my husband in front of my children? Was I modeling honor and respect?
Our homes are our children’s first classrooms. The way we speak to our spouse, the way we talk about church leaders, teachers, and even government officials—it all teaches our children how to view authority. We can either teach them to honor or to tear down.
I wanted my children to grow up in a home where we respected each other, where we spoke life, and where we saw authority as a good thing—a gift from God for our protection and flourishing.
The Power of Relationship
Respecting authority doesn’t mean ignoring when things are wrong. It doesn’t mean our children won’t question or challenge what’s not right. But it does mean we teach them to respond with wisdom, kindness, and honor.
And it starts with relationship.
Our children will respond to correction much more openly when they know our hearts, when they know we love them and want what’s best for them. You can only correct as effectively as you’ve built relationship. The deeper the trust, the more their hearts are open.
The Words We Speak
Another place we model honor is in how we talk about authority at home. It matters what we say about teachers, pastors, and public leaders. We don’t have to agree with them. We don’t have to pretend they’re perfect. But we can speak about them with civility and respect.
When my children were small, I remember putting a picture of the sitting president on our refrigerator. Every morning, we would pray for him, regardless of whether we agreed with his policies. Some people were surprised by that, but the Bible is clear: we are to pray for those in authority (1 Timothy 2:1-2) and to honor them (Romans 13).
Even Paul, who lived under the brutal reign of Emperor Nero, taught the church to honor authority. It doesn’t mean blind obedience. It means walking in wisdom and teaching our children to be peacemakers in a divided world.
When Authority Gets It Wrong
Of course, there will be times when those in authority ask us to do things that contradict God’s Word. In those moments, we must obey God rather than man. But even then, we can disagree respectfully.
Remember the story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego? When King Nebuchadnezzar ordered them to bow to an idol, they respectfully refused. They addressed him with honor but stood firm in their convictions. They didn’t dishonor the king, but they honored God first.
We can teach our children to hold strong convictions while still showing respect. It’s a balance the world rarely teaches, but Scripture does.
Building a Home That Honors
If we want our children to live out these truths, it begins in our homes:
- Model honor in how we speak to and about authority.
- Correct with love and build strong relationships that invite trust.
- Pray for leaders regularly as a family.
- Teach wisdom so they know when to obey and when to stand firm.
Ultimately, when we teach our children to honor authority, we are teaching them to honor God. We are shaping their understanding of who He is, what His heart is like, and how they can trust Him.
Our children are growing up in a world that is often loud, divided, and dismissive of authority. But we can show them a better way. We can raise peacemakers who know how to walk with wisdom and live with honor.
I pray this encourages you today. Thank you for walking this journey with me.
© Audrey McCracken Creatives LLC, 2025
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