Loyal vs Abuse, to be or not to be… That is the question?

Ephesians 6:1-4 ESV: Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. “Honor your father and mother” (this is the first commandment with a promise), “that it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land.”

Some parents verbally abuse their children even into adulthood and use scriptures to assist them with their verbal abuse and manipulation. They make you feel guilty by telling you that you are not being loyal when you attempt to stand up for yourself. It is common to see little children trying to protect their parent(s)– remaining loyal, that have been physically and/or verbally abused by their parent. As an adult you should know better. There is a difference between instilling discipline and being controlling.

Loyal: having or showing complete and constant support for someone or something; faithful to a private person to whom fidelity is due

There is also a lot of resistance from people who feel that if they simply let their mother or father know that they will not continue to be disrespected, then they are not being loyal or are being disrespectful to their parent(s).

The verse rarely mentioned and often forgotten:

Ephesians 6:1-4 ESV: Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord. Colossians 3:21:
Fathers, do not exasperate your children, so that they will not lose heart.

Abuse: to use wrongly or improperly; misuse: to abuse one’s authority; to speak insultingly, harshly, and unjustly to or about; revile; malign.

We are thought that respect is given to parents by birth however that is not a free pass to belittle or degrade someone. When you choose to remain in any unhealthy relationship and consider yourself to be loyal and endure abuse inflicted by others, it justification for your decision to not take action.

The question for today:

Where do you draw the line and decide– what is being loyal vs being abused?
Feel free to share and as always the choice is yours.

Jamillah Foulkes~ Empower U