Ephesians 6:3

“that it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth”

“May”: The promise is generally the rule, yet some godly young men and women do die early in life (like Jesus and John the Baptist) and some very wicked people end up living long and prosperous lives (Psalms 73:1). Although God is not mocked, every unrepentant sinner will be punished (Galatians 6:7). “Be well with thee”: God is not insensitive or cruel. He is really concerned for our well being. God desires that His people live long and enjoy all the wholesome pleasures that this earth can provide. “Respectful, obedient children will normally become productive, successful adults” (Boles p. 325). "That it may be well with thee", is the intended purpose and aim of all our parenting efforts. We desire to see our children in heaven and enjoying the favor of God. The desire of all godly parents is to see their children grow up to be well adjusted, mature, responsible and happy adults. We want them to have happy marriages and good families. Years ago. read the following:

"An inevitable struggle between the individual and the several powers that go to make his individuality, begins in every child at his very birth, and continues so long as his life in the flesh continues. On the outcome of this struggle depends the ultimate character of him who struggles. it is to him bondage or mastery, defeat or triumph, failure or success. as. result of battling that cannot be evaded.. man who was not trained, in childhood, to self-control, is hopelessly. child in his combat with himself, hence it is that it rests with the parent to decide, while the child is still. child, whether the child shall be. slave to himself, or. master of himself. To leave. child to himself in these earliest struggles with himself. is to put him at. sad disadvantage in all the future combats of his life's warfare; while to give him wise help in these earliest struggles, is to give him help for all the following struggles”. [Note:. "Hints on Child Training". H. Clay Trumbull. Great Expectations Book Company, Eugene, Oregon 97402. pp. 53-54.]

Therefore. must teach my child self-control, because the lack of it will make him miserable.. must teach my child to share, to be grateful and thankful, to forgive, to consider the feelings and needs of others, because the selfish, self-centered, bitter and resentful adult is an unhappy camper.. must teach my child the value of hard work, of work before play, of commitment and responsibility, because adults that lack these qualities end up frustrated. Learning such things in youth is hard, but. have found that the adult who must learn them for the first time has even. harder task.

“Mayest live long on the earth”: In the passage cited, God had said "that your days may be prolonged in the land which the Lord your God gives you" (Exodus 2:12; Deuteronomy 5:16). God has Paul change the last part of the quotation, from "in the land", to "on the earth". This is significant, for it infers that no land promise remains for God's people. The people of God today are. universal kingdom of believers rather than. people confined to. specific land (Matthew 28:19). “The promised land fades from view. God's people are now an international community” (Stott p. 241). Living long on the earth is vain, if it is not "well with thee". First century Christians did face persecution (1 Peter 4:12; Revelation 2:10). Thus we realize that this promise was not just confined to that day and age. Short-lives for Christians is the exception, not the rule, and long-lives for the rebellious is the exception, not the rule. This promise still holds true and we see it demonstrated on. daily basis.