Pastor's Ponderings, December 8, 2014

Let Us Treasure Our Elders

The Mitchell-Brown Family was blessed to celebrate our 64^th Annual Family Reunion in Atlanta this year over the Thanksgiving holiday.  We had a wonderful time enjoying the beautiful hotel, eating, laughing, visiting the local sites and recalling precious tidbits of information about our forebears. Sadly, for the first time, not one of the three surviving original planners was able to attend.

As I sat there, I could not help but think about the fantastic things our elders had accomplished. In spite of the lack of some opportunities and many challenges of the era, they prospered, lived complete lives, traveled internationally, received education and educated their children and prepaid the way for generations to follow their example. Their children have followed their example and have done similar things. I believe our family has been blessed because these elders and many of their parents and grandparents truly loved the Lord (Psalm 112:2). 

What was so wonderful about this reunion was the awesome trove of history that they had and which our remaining elders still keep.  We shared part of that history in our small group conversations and in our combined family meeting. Those who have passed on have taken that valuable history and wisdom with them that we can never capture again until we see them in heaven.

However, we live in a culture that does not treasure our elders.  We

tend to only visit on special occasions, or when we need them.  They may need to live in nursing homes or similar facilities and we forget to visit them or ignore them in their own homes. We may not live nearby, but we sometimes forget to make a quick call or send a card to remind them we love them.

In the Bible, God commands us to honor our parents (Deuteronomy 5:16). Recorded in the Ten Commandments, He demonstrates its importance by putting that commandment between honoring His day and the commandment not to murder.

This year, let us make certain that we do not let these golden moments with our elders slip away.  Let us glean their wisdom, value their contributions, and show them the respect, love and honour that they deserve (Proverbs 16:31). 

Psalm 112:2
New International Version (NIV)

2 Their children will be mighty in the land; the generation of the upright will be blessed.

Deuteronomy 5:16
New International Version (NIV)

16 “Honor your father and your mother, as the Lord your God has commanded you, so that you may live long and that it may go well with you in the land the Lord your God is giving you.

Proverbs 16:31
New International Version (NIV)

31 Gray hair is a crown of splendor; it is attained in the way of righteousness.