Leviticus 19:32
I command you to show respect for older people and to obey me with fear and trembling.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
When I was a teenager, our neighbor, Mr. Good, recruited me to go with him and his wife one evening each week to our local nursing home to conduct a worship service. I played the piano for the residents to sing hymns, and then Mr. Good “preached.” I have to tell you, he was pretty boring as a speaker. But those people didn’t care, because he spent all manner of time with them before and after the service… and that was what they really wanted and needed. I am sure that Tuesday night was the highlight of the week for many of them! I visited with some of the residents, but mostly with my Aunt Faye, who was a resident there. A double-amputee as a result of diabetes, Aunt Faye looked forward to my visits, and I always enjoyed spending time with her. I cannot recall anything we discussed… and I probably dreaded going a lot of nights… but I always felt better after I had been.
In the 40 years since, I have spent a lot of time going to nursing homes and visiting with elderly people. I helped care for my mother’s parents as they aged and entered a nursing home… and I was the guardian for my grandmother for more than a decade. Additionally, Greg has delivered Meals on Wheels for a number of years now… and he and I delivered the meals together back in the late 1980s. I can tell you that we have seen a lot of lonely older folks… people whose faces light up with joy and delight at just the two-or-three-minute encounter they have with someone who delivers a hot meal each weekday – or a hug or handshake and a “hello” as we passed through the lobby or dining hall at a residential facility. I’ve seen people in nursing homes and the Assisted Living Facility who were, for all practical purposes, dumped there… people who never get a visit from a family member… people who have no one to care about them except the staff members. As one man put it one day when I knelt down to hug him and ask about his day said… “It just got a whole lot better now!”
When my grandmother was living at the Assisted Living Facility, I looked at some of the residents who shared this facility with her and how they never seemed to have anyone to see after their needs… to advocate for them with the medical staff and others…those who never seemed to get a card, call or visit. I reminded myself often that these people were God’s children just as much as my Mam-ma Polly, whose apartment entrance resembled something of a “revolving door” as people seemed to be continually coming and going, calling, leaving cards, food, flowers and more. I wondered how – and why – she appeared to be so blessed, while others seemed to have so little. And the only conclusion I could come to was that SHE had been a blessing to many when she was able and active… and she had instilled this sense of respect in me and my family, so that we saw after her in a similar manner.
If you stop and think about it, I bet you know several older folks who could use a little of your time and attention. Perhaps you have a neighbor, an aunt, uncle, grandparent… or even a parent… who isn’t quite as independent these days. This person might never ask you for help… for fear of being a bother. Or maybe they pester you all the time to do things for them, visit them, and more. Either way, we are called to show our respect and care for the elderly. In this way, we obey God and show our respect for Him… and for them. God doesn’t care less about people as they age and decline… and neither should we!
Respect and care for the elderly should be part of our Christian living. If we love God, and “fear” (respect) Him, we will take care of His sheep… ALL of them… even those who are elderly or infirm. Who needs to hear from you today? I can assure you that while you are honoring God and blessing someone with your respect and attention, YOU will receive the bigger blessing. This should not be your reason for reaching out… but it’s a pretty nice perk of your discipleship! Look around and see who needs your time and attention. Make a difference in the life of an elderly person… honor and respect God in the process… and get ready to be truly blessed as a result!
©2013 Debbie Robus
Showing posts with label respect for older persons. Show all posts
Showing posts with label respect for older persons. Show all posts
Daily Devotional for February 25, 2011
1 Timothy 5:7-8
Tell all of this to everyone, so they will do the right thing. People who don't take care of their relatives, and especially their own families, have given up their faith. They are worse than someone who doesn't have faith in the Lord.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
Today is the birthday of a dear friend of mine named Jean. I am not sure of Jean’s age, but it’s somewhere around 95. Jean and her husband, Jim, who is 95 or better, still live in their own home. She is a former nurse… Jim a former airline pilot. Jean and Jim never had children. Nieces, nephews, other family members and friends “see after” them… as much as Jean and Jim will allow!
I admit, I do not “see after” Jean and Jim like I should. They have been my dear friends for almost 25 years, and they are members of my church. They are part of my “church family” even if they are not related by blood, and I should check in with them more often.
And that brings me to the point of today’s devotional. It’s very easy for younger people to get busy with their own lives and families… and frankly, to become self-absorbed… and to forget about – or neglect – older people who live and work alongside them. I recently spoke with the mother of one of my friends, and she said, “We don’t see children at church any more, and it breaks my heart.” The children are attending a more contemporary service that meets at a different hour, and many of the older church members attend a traditional service, so they have little opportunity to interact with younger members. Clearly, this represents a need that must be addressed… and one that may have become commonplace in many church congregations.
If you want to see the power of “youth” in action, visit a nursing home and take a baby, a puppy, or a kitten. The faces of the residents will instantly light up at the sight of “young life.” We tend to get tunnel vision quite often… to focus on people who are in our own circle – or our own age – and we toss others… especially those who are older… to the curb. If you read further in 1 Timothy 5, you will see that there are admonitions to honor Jesus by caring for our grandparents, our widows and widowers, and older adults. When we show them respect and care, we are honoring God and His love for us.
The last time I did laundry, I discovered that the underarm seam of one of my husband’s t-shirts had come undone. My husband has dozens of t-shirts, and I seriously considered tossing this one into the rag bin. But there was still a lot of good “wear” left in the shirt, and a few stitches on my sewing machine could patch the torn seam. As I looked at this shirt, I thought of how we treat others in everyday life. I considered how we sometimes toss people – especially older adults - and their needs into the “rag bin” and focus on newer, prettier, more seemingly useful folks.
We need to wake up! We need to realize that older adults are not only important, wise and worthy of our time and attention… but we are called by God to attend to them! Who do you need to contact today? Do you have a family member – or a church family member – who needs to hear from you? If you are older… have you reached out to those who are younger and let them know you are willing to be a mentor and friend… that you still want to be engaged in the activities of their lives? In God’s family, there are no age barriers… these have been imposed by humans. It’s up to us to remove them… in Jesus’ name. Where will you begin?
©2011 Debbie Robus
Tell all of this to everyone, so they will do the right thing. People who don't take care of their relatives, and especially their own families, have given up their faith. They are worse than someone who doesn't have faith in the Lord.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
Today is the birthday of a dear friend of mine named Jean. I am not sure of Jean’s age, but it’s somewhere around 95. Jean and her husband, Jim, who is 95 or better, still live in their own home. She is a former nurse… Jim a former airline pilot. Jean and Jim never had children. Nieces, nephews, other family members and friends “see after” them… as much as Jean and Jim will allow!
I admit, I do not “see after” Jean and Jim like I should. They have been my dear friends for almost 25 years, and they are members of my church. They are part of my “church family” even if they are not related by blood, and I should check in with them more often.
And that brings me to the point of today’s devotional. It’s very easy for younger people to get busy with their own lives and families… and frankly, to become self-absorbed… and to forget about – or neglect – older people who live and work alongside them. I recently spoke with the mother of one of my friends, and she said, “We don’t see children at church any more, and it breaks my heart.” The children are attending a more contemporary service that meets at a different hour, and many of the older church members attend a traditional service, so they have little opportunity to interact with younger members. Clearly, this represents a need that must be addressed… and one that may have become commonplace in many church congregations.
If you want to see the power of “youth” in action, visit a nursing home and take a baby, a puppy, or a kitten. The faces of the residents will instantly light up at the sight of “young life.” We tend to get tunnel vision quite often… to focus on people who are in our own circle – or our own age – and we toss others… especially those who are older… to the curb. If you read further in 1 Timothy 5, you will see that there are admonitions to honor Jesus by caring for our grandparents, our widows and widowers, and older adults. When we show them respect and care, we are honoring God and His love for us.
The last time I did laundry, I discovered that the underarm seam of one of my husband’s t-shirts had come undone. My husband has dozens of t-shirts, and I seriously considered tossing this one into the rag bin. But there was still a lot of good “wear” left in the shirt, and a few stitches on my sewing machine could patch the torn seam. As I looked at this shirt, I thought of how we treat others in everyday life. I considered how we sometimes toss people – especially older adults - and their needs into the “rag bin” and focus on newer, prettier, more seemingly useful folks.
We need to wake up! We need to realize that older adults are not only important, wise and worthy of our time and attention… but we are called by God to attend to them! Who do you need to contact today? Do you have a family member – or a church family member – who needs to hear from you? If you are older… have you reached out to those who are younger and let them know you are willing to be a mentor and friend… that you still want to be engaged in the activities of their lives? In God’s family, there are no age barriers… these have been imposed by humans. It’s up to us to remove them… in Jesus’ name. Where will you begin?
©2011 Debbie Robus
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