In this episode, we explore what Scripture really means when it calls us to leave and cleave. Leaving isn’t just moving out, it’s a purposeful, decisive shift of loyalty and identity so a new family can truly become one. This kind of separation can feel confusing or even painful, especially for parents who have spent years nurturing their children. But leaving is not rejection; it’s the healthy foundation God designed for a flourishing marriage. We look at what this requires; physically, emotionally, spiritually, and socially, and how both parents and adult children can navigate these transitions with grace together.
From that foundation, we move into the biblical command to honor our parents. We clarify what honoring is, and just as importantly, what it’s not. It isn’t blind obedience or ignoring unhealthy patterns. Instead, honor means giving weight and dignity to the person and the role, even when it’s challenging. We offer six practical ways you can live into honoring your parents today!
Six practical ways to honor your parents:
• Speak with kindness and dignity
• Appeal rather than criticize
• Speak the truth in love
• Express gratitude for what they did right
• Forgive ongoing or past wounds
• Seek to understand their story
Whether you’re forming a new family or parenting adult children of your own, this conversation offers a hopeful, grounded path toward healthier relationships across generations.
Scripture Mentioned: Genesis, 1 thessalonians 2:7-8, Ephesians 1-4, Proverbs 1:23+31, Proverb 15:1, 1 Timothy 5:1, Ephesian 4:15, Colossians 4:2-4, Luke 4:22
Submit Questions: Send a voice recording to hello@intentionalparents.org, mentioning your name and where you’re from.
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