Out of all of the Ten Commandments, only one contains no negative word whatsoever.  The fifth commandment is a totally positive commandment.  All of the other nine commandments tell us not to do something.  This is the only commandment without one negative word.  It is also the only commandment that comes with a promise.

The first four commandments dealt with our relationship to God.  The second six commandments deal with our relationship to others.  It is not coincidental that God begins with our relationship to the family.  He doesn't tell us how soldiers should fight, nor how businessmen should sell, nor how teachers should instruct, nor how pastors should preach.  But he tells us how sons and daughters should treat their mothers and their fathers.

The fact that God begins with the fa…