Mother’s Day and Father’s Day are coming in the next few weeks. God calls us to honor our Father and Mother. Do you find this hard or easy to do?

Some of you siblings haven’t been under the same roof for a long time. Some of you still are. For some of you your family fractured along the way. New families were created after yours shattered, leaving you with a homeless feel.

Some of you, your parents are mysteries, faceless voids, wonderments you’ve both longed to and feared to know. You’re not sure who you’d find…if anyone at all.

Others of you, just the thought of mom or dad triggers anger and rage. Those who were supposed to protect and care for you neglected and abused you instead.

Then there are those of you who have two mothers and fathers, the natural ones and the adoptive ones.

How do we honor them, our mothers and fathers? I suggest unconditionally. They hold the role, whether you agree with how they filled it or not. Whether you get along with your siblings or not, rise above your differences.

“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.” Ephesians 6:2-3 (ESV) This is what Father God calls us to do.

Maybe you’re one of the blessed ones. Joy and excitement motivate you to plan ahead to honor your mother and father. You draw on fond memories of laughter, love, peace and joy.

Maybe your perspective differs. Does the thought of getting the family together — all together — stir up emotions you’d like to avoid? Dread? Fear? Hurt? Anger? Resentment?

Is the struggle with your parents? Your siblings? Or both? It’s very real, isn’t it? There is a struggle but it might not be what you think?

Ephesians 6:12a says, “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, … (NASB). Our mothers and fathers, sisters and brothers are not who we’re to fight against, or blame, or deny honor. We can broaden the idea to include all the humans of the world, from every nation, tribe, and tongue. No, our real opponents are in the rest of Ephesians 12. …but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.” Ephesians 6:12b (NASB) Getting our eyes off Christ, distracting us with the issues of this earthly atmosphere, causing us to worship another — anything other than Christ— these are the enemy’s goals.

May I suggest to you an idea? Sibling rivalry is a spiritual force of evil. Creating strife, causing division and tension, stealing peace, destroying families, robbing our joy—sound familiar?

I encourage you, Christ follower, to bind up—aloud—this spiritual force of evil, along with any and all others, in the Name of Jesus Christ. Apply the authority He gave us, loosing into the void the Spirit of the Living God.

Rise above the circumstances by the grace and power of God. We are to look to Christ. Hide ourself in His Name. Wear His provisional armor. Remember or realize for the first time, your enemy isn’t flesh and blood, not those sisters and brothers in the natural or in the church, or in humankind.

Stop fighting. Stop holding grudges. Stop hating. Stop cursing. Stop jabbing. Just STOP!

Aren’t you tired? Isn’t that offense heavy? That unforgiveness doesn’t become you. It’s destroying you from the inside out. Besides . . . If you don’t forgive others, your Heavenly Father won’t forgive you. (Mt. 6:14-15)

All this infighting is exactly what the enemy wants, ya know. A house divided can’t stand. (Mark 3:23-27) We are so distracted, fighting each other, we can’t see we’re playing right into the enemy’s hand.

Step out of the scene for a moment. Look objectively and take an Ephesians 6:12 perspective. Consider the truth of John 10:10, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.” That “I” is Jesus Christ; these are His words. “Christ is the head of the body, the church; . . .” (Col 1:18). Verse 20 continues, “and through Him to reconcile all things to Himself, having made peace through the blood of His cross; through Him, I say, whether things on earth or things in heaven. And although you were formerly alienated and hostile in mind, engaged in evil deeds, yet He has now reconciled you in His fleshly body through death, in order to present you before Him holy and blameless and beyond reproach—if indeed you continue in the faith firmly established and steadfast, and not moved away from the hope of the gospel that you have heard, which was proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which I, Paul, was made a minister.” (Col. 1:20-23, ESV)

Reconciliation is the goal. Human being to human being. Humankind to God, individually and collectively. This reconciliation occurs in the love of Jesus Christ.

See yourself as God sees you. HE LOVES YOU! Hear His rebuke today in Proverbs 3. It breaks Father’s heart for His children and His creation to be destroying each other. Repent and reconcile, to God first and then to your fellow human beings.

Get an Ephesians 1 perspective, a Colossians perspective. If you are in Christ, then you are seated in the heavenly realms, FAR ABOVE all rule and authority, power and dominion. Get out of the enemy’s fray and rise above the circumstances. Pray from the authority of Christ concerning your family, your nation, and the world. Pray for each other. Unite against a common enemy. You’re on the same team humankind. Don’t let the enemy have place. Remind him that he’s a defeated foe. Read Colossians 2:8-15 to see how.

Start in your own family, your own Jerusalem. Reconcile with your siblings. Reconcile with your father and mother. Honor them while they’re here on earth. If they’ve died, you can still forgive and honor them. Make this Mother’s Day and Father’s Day the one you remember with joy and peace.

Honor your Heavenly Father too. Be reconciled to Him through faith in Jesus Christ, His Son, the Savior of the world.