Can we call someone or be call by some honorific title? (Part 2).

[Leonardo Von]

Can we call someone or be call by some honorific title? (Part 2).

*Second: Father* - Father implies in someone that have honor, preeminence. As we know, there is the following commandment:

•    “Honor thy father and thy mother, that thy days may be long in the land which Jehovah thy God giveth thee.” (Exo 20:12).

The Pharisees pined for all this honor:

Mat 23:6-7 -> “and love the chief place at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues, and the salutations in the marketplaces, and to be called of men, Rabbi.”

 Notwithstanding, they didn’t care for Israelites as if they were their children.

This responsibility demands very much. So much so that Jesus choosed only twelve apostles. If He that is perfect and full of ken, love, patience, etc., only was able to care for twelve apostles, who are us to think that we can care for more than this?

And the worst is that there are many religious leaders that look forward to control a religious institution with more and more believers. Nonetheless, this didn’t work not even with the apostles:

Acts 6:1 -> “Now in these days, when the number of the disciples was multiplying, there arose a murmuring of the Grecian Jews against the Hebrews, because their widows were neglected in the daily ministration.”.

It isn’t in vain that Jesus said:

•    “For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.” (Mat 18:20).

The idea is that we live exactly what it is said below:

•    “And all that believed were together, and had all things common; and they sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all, according as any man had need.” (Act 2:44,45).

That is to say: every person needs to cope with those who approaches. The benevolence isn’t to be done for only one person, while the others stay living by themselves. No! Each person is enjoined to love the neighbor as Jesus loved them (John 13:34-35).

So, don’t call anybody “father” because this will be a heavy charge on their shoulders. This can make them to fall in the faith in virtue of the pride and of excess of responsibility (see what happened to Moses – Ex 18:14-18; Nm 11:12-15) and, thereby, this can make you stumble or even die in the faith.

And the worst is that many religious leaders demands of their congregation such exaltation.

When someone bring forth children (either physical or spiritual), they do thus because they desire to bestow to them what is best so that they can fulfill Jesus’ mission; and the children, in turn, ought to honor their parents receiving from them all these boons and conveying to the next offspring the concepts and values of Christ in the life of the parents.

So, the problem isn’t the title of “father”, but how this title is used for both: who calls and who receives this title.

Have a good weekend bringing forth children in faith, even when you feel lonely. After all:

•    “Rejoice, O unfruitful one that never bore; break out a song and shout, you who never travailed. For more are the sons of the desolate than the sons of the married woman, says Jehovah. Make the place of your tent larger, and let them stretch out the curtains of your dwellings. Do not spare, lengthen your cords and strengthen your stakes; for you shall break out on the right hand and on the left. And your seed shall inherit the nations, and people will inhabit ruined cities.” (Isa 54:1-3).