Our duty

The Fifth Commandment teaches us the duty of obedience to our parents and also to other people such as our teachers and when we start work, to our employers.  But we should not have an unthinking obedience, and if ever we are asked to do something which we believe is wrong we should not obey the order and we should talk about it with someone we trust.

We have a duty of obedience as citizens to keep the laws passed by Parliament and obey the police whose duty it is to see the laws are kept. 

Consideration for others

We should always try to be considerate towards other people.  Sometimes groups of young people throw their weight around, making a lot of noise in public places without any thought of the effect on other people.  Sometimes, of course, they talk or sing loudly in order to make themselves think they are the most important people, rather like the person who whistles in the dark to keep his courage up.

Respect

It is important that we show respect, not only to our parents and teachers but to everybody.  One of the ways we can do this is by being polite.  Some people think that rudeness is a sign of strength.  In point of fact it is a sign of weakness.  It needs much more self-control, and therefore shows a much stronger character, if we can still be polite and well-mannered when other people are not polite to us.  Besides that, you can often tell what kind of a person someone is by the way they treat the people who work under them.  Inconsiderate people treat their workers with discourtesy and no one will respect such bosses, whereas everyone respects and likes people who are courteous and well-mannered.  So always be polite, and don’t forget the little things that mean so much, such as giving up your seat on the bus or train to someone elderly or carrying a small child.  And remember to be like that when you grow up.