Book: Raising Giants – Chapter 12: Authority and Honor – Respect in an Age of Rebellion
- Dr. Layne McDonald
- Jun 11
- 9 min read
"Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. ‘Honor your father and mother’: which is the first commandment with a promise: ‘so that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth.’" : Ephesians 6:1-3 (NIV)
The Great Erosion: Why Honor is Under Siege
We are living in an era where the term "authority" is often treated as a dirty word. If you spend five minutes scrolling through a social media feed, you’ll see it: the casual mockery of leaders, the "roasting" of parents for views, the viral videos of students berating teachers, and the general celebration of rebellion as a form of "authenticity."
In the digital town square, the loudest voice is usually the most disrespectful one. We have traded the ancient virtue of honor for the modern drug of "likes" gained through cynicism. But here is the reality we must face as parents raising the next generation of giants: Honor is the currency of the Kingdom of God. Without it, the spiritual economy of a family, a church, and a nation eventually collapses.
When we talk about raising "Giants," we aren't just talking about children who are successful in their careers or talented in their crafts. We are talking about children who carry the weight of God’s glory: children who understand that they are part of a divine hierarchy designed for their protection and their blessing.
This chapter is about re-establishing the blueprint. It’s about teaching our children that respect isn’t an outdated social etiquette; it is a spiritual alignment that determines how "well" their lives will go.
The Anatomy of Honor: More Than a Feeling
In our modern English, "honor" feels like a soft, sentimental word. We think of "Honor Roll" or "In honor of..." ceremonies. But in the original languages of Scripture, honor is a "heavy" concept.
The Hebrew word for honor is kabaad. It literally means "heavy" or "weighty." To honor someone is to give them weight in your life. It means their words have mass. Their presence has significance. When you dishonor someone, you treat them as "light": as if they are insignificant, hollow, or easily brushed aside.
In the Greek, the word is timao, which means to fix a value or a price. It’s a commercial term. When we honor someone, we are saying, "I value you highly. You are precious to me."
As parents, our job is to teach our children how to weigh authority. In an age of rebellion, the world tells them to treat everyone as "light" unless they have earned "heavy" status through performance. But the Bible tells us that honor is due because of the position God has established, not just the person occupying it.
The Five Circles of Honor: The Kingdom Blueprint
To help our children navigate a world of rebellion, we have to give them a map. Honor isn't a vague "be nice" command. It operates in specific circles that ripple outward from the heart to the ends of the earth.
1. The Center Circle: God
Everything starts here. If a child does not learn to honor God: to give Him the ultimate "weight" in their lives: they will never truly honor anyone else. Honoring God means recognizing His holiness, His sovereignty, and His right to define truth. In our homes, this looks like prioritizing worship, Scripture, and prayer not as chores, but as acts of high valuation.
2. The Second Circle: Parents
God chose the family as the primary training ground for honor. Notice that the Fifth Commandment (Exodus 20:12) doesn't say "Honor your father and mother if they are perfect." It simply says, "Honor them." Why? Because parents are the first representatives of God’s authority that a child ever encounters. If a child learns to treat a parent as "light," they will naturally treat God as "light."
3. The Third Circle: Spiritual Authority
This includes pastors, mentors, and elders. In an Assemblies of God context, we believe in the "office" of the leader. We honor the gift of God in them. Teaching our children to respect their Sunday school teachers and youth pastors is a critical step in their spiritual development.
4. The Fourth Circle: Civil and Social Authority
Teachers, coaches, government officials, and police officers. The Bible is clear in Romans 13 that all authority is established by God. Even when we disagree with a policy or a personality, we are called to honor the institution. In an age of digital mockery, this is where most "Giants" fail. We must teach our kids that they can disagree with a teacher without being disrespectful to the teacher.
5. The Fifth Circle: The World (Peers and Neighbors)
Finally, we honor the "image of God" (Imago Dei) in every person. This means no "roasting" classmates, no bullying, and no treating people as disposable. Every human being carries a weight of glory because they were made by the Creator.
The Internet: A Breeding Ground for Mockery
Let’s get practical. The greatest threat to the spirit of honor in your home is likely sitting in your child’s pocket.
The internet: specifically social media: functions on a "rebellion-reward" loop. The more "edgy," "savage," or "disrespectful" a comment is, the more engagement it receives. We have raised a generation that believes sarcasm is a personality trait and mockery is a form of intellect.
When a child spends six hours a day watching creators who make a living by making fun of others, they are being "discipled" in the spirit of dishonor. They are learning to view the world through a lens of "lightness."
As parents, we have to intervene. We must teach our children that mockery is the weapon of the weak. It takes no strength to tear someone down. It takes a "Giant" to show honor when everyone else is throwing stones. We must audit what they are watching and, more importantly, how they are speaking in the digital space.
Ask your child this question:"If Jesus looked at your comment history or your group chats, would He see someone who gives people 'weight,' or someone who treats the image of God as 'light'?"
Obedience vs. Honor: The Difference and the Duration
There is a subtle but massive difference between obedience and honor.
Obedience is an action. It is about doing what you are told. It is primarily for the years when a child is under your roof. Honor is an attitude. It is about the value you place on the person. It is for a lifetime.
I often tell parents: "You can force obedience, but you must inspire honor." You can use discipline to make a child clean their room, but you cannot use a paddle to make them value your heart. Honor is caught more than it is taught.
If you want your children to honor you, they need to see you honoring others. Do they hear you "roasting" your pastor over lunch after church? Do they hear you slandering your boss? Do they hear you mocking political leaders you dislike? If you treat authority as "light," don't be surprised when your children treat your authority as "light."
Furthermore, obedience has an expiration date (when a child becomes an adult and "leaves and cleaves"), but honor never ends. I am a grown man with my own family and a Ph.D., but I still honor my parents. I don't "obey" them in the sense of asking permission for my daily decisions, but I give their wisdom "weight." I speak of them with respect. I care for them. This is the biblical pattern that leads to blessing.
Rebellion: The Spiritual Root
We have to call rebellion what it is. In 1 Samuel 15:23, the prophet Samuel tells King Saul, "For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry."
That’s strong language. Why would God compare rebellion to witchcraft? Because both are attempts to seize power and control outside of God’s established order. Rebellion is essentially saying, "I am my own god. I define my own truth. I don't need to submit to anyone."
When we allow a spirit of rebellion to fester in our children: even in "small" things like eye-rolling or "talking back": we are allowing a spiritual foothold to form. Rebellion is not a "phase." It is a heart posture that, if left unchecked, will eventually lead a child to rebel against God Himself.
Raising a Giant means training a child to have a "submissive spirit": not a weak spirit, but one that is under the control of the Holy Spirit. It takes more power to submit than it does to rebel.
The Promise: Why God Ties Long Life to Respect
Ephesians 6:3 gives us a stunning promise: "so that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth."
This isn't a magic spell or a guarantee that an obedient child will never get sick. It is a principle of moral order.
Think about it logically. A child who honors authority is a child who:
Listens to the warnings of parents and elders (avoiding dangerous lifestyles).
Prospers in school and the workplace because they know how to work under leadership.
Builds healthy, stable relationships because they value others.
Stays under the "spiritual covering" of God’s protection.
When a person lives in a state of constant rebellion, their life is characterized by friction. They are always at war with the "structures" of life. That friction creates stress, brokenness, and often premature destruction. But the "Way of Honor" is a smooth path. It is the path where God’s favor flows without obstruction.
Practical Discipleship: How to Raise a Child of Honor
How do we actually do this in the middle of a rebellious culture? Here are four practical steps:
1. Define the Standard
Don't assume your child knows what honor looks like. Sit down and explain the kabaad concept. Tell them, "In this house, we don't treat people as 'light.' We give people weight." Make "No Mockery" a house rule.
2. Discipline the Attitude, Not Just the Action
If your child obeys you but does it with a sigh, a mumble, or a "look," they have obeyed but they haven't honored. Address the heart. Say, "I appreciate that you picked up your shoes, but your heart was disrespectful. We need to fix the honor part before we move on."
3. Model "In the Lord" Disagreement
Teach your children that they can disagree without being dishonorable. If they feel a rule is unfair, give them a "proper appeal" process. Let them speak their heart, provided they do it with respect. This trains them to handle conflict in the real world with grace.
4. Celebrate Honor
When you see your child showing respect to an elder, or speaking kindly of a teacher, or helping a peer: celebrate it! Tell them, "I saw the way you honored that person today. That is the heart of a Giant. I am so proud of the weight you give to others."
The Final Call: Choosing the Way of Honor
Parents, we are at a crossroads. We can allow our children to be swept away by the current of a culture that mocks, devalues, and rebels. Or, we can choose to build a counter-culture in our homes: a culture of honor.
It starts with us. It starts with a parent who bows their knee to King Jesus and says, "Lord, I give You weight. I honor Your Word. Now, help me lead my children to do the same."
When we raise children of honor, we aren't just making life easier for ourselves. We are launching arrows into the future that will carry the light of Christ into every sphere of society. Honor is the path to the "well-lived" life. Let’s lead our giants onto that path today.
Reflection Questions
In what areas of your life (politics, work, church) might you be modeling "dishonor" to your children?
How does the concept of "weight" (kabaad) change the way you view your interactions with your kids?
What digital "influences" in your child’s life are currently teaching them to treat authority as "light"?
How can you transition from "forcing obedience" to "inspiring honor" in your home this week?
A Prayer for Your Home
Heavenly Father, we thank You for the gift of authority. We ask for Your forgiveness for the times we have treated Your Word or Your representatives as "light." Holy Spirit, fill our homes with a spirit of honor. Help our children to see the beauty of Your divine order. Give us the wisdom to discipline with grace and the courage to model respect in a world of rebellion. May it "go well" with our children as they learn to walk in the Way of Honor. In Jesus' name, Amen.
About Layne McDonald, Ph.D. Dr. Layne McDonald is a dedicated author, educator, and minister committed to grounding believers in biblical truth and practical discipleship. With a background in theology and leadership, he specializes in creating resources that help families, churches, and individuals navigate modern culture through a faithful, scriptural lens. His work is rooted in the Assemblies of God tradition, focusing on the transformative power of the Holy Spirit and the enduring authority of the Word of God.
Is the "Spirit of the Age" louder in your home than the Word of God?
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