Old Christians

I turned 73 last October and recently watched a video of myself shot last week.  I thought, “Who is that old coot?” We kid ourselves looking in the mirror, but not when we see ourselves as others do.  When I go to the VA, I see men and women younger than I using walkers and in wheelchairs.  I got to thinking about what the Bible says about old folks.

We older folks still have much to offer.  God tells His people to find wise counsel by turning to an older person:

31 ‘Do not turn to mediums or spiritists; do not seek them out to be defiled by them. I am the LORD your God.
32 ‘You shall rise up before the grayheaded, and honor the aged, and you shall revere your God; I am the LORD. (Lev. 19:31-32)

I was interested that God doesn’t stop telling us how we can be of benefit to His kingdom just because we’ve gotten a little older.  Seems He doesn’t expect us to retire from service, we are to be examples and teachers:

² Older men are to be sober-minded, dignified, self-controlled, sound in faith, in love, and in steadfastness. ³ Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves to much wine. They are to teach what is good, ⁴ and so train the young women to love their husbands and children, ⁵ to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled. (Titus 2:2-5)

So, older Christians have jobs to do.  We may not have children at home anymore, but we have many children and young adults in our realm we can influence for good through our actions, our words, and our examples. 

Our lives up to now are useful, too.  Each of us have different histories.  We’ve experienced things others are going through now or are dealing with the consequences later on.  We can come along side to help.

We have people our own age who need the companionship of someone who understands their histories.  Nursing homes are full of them.  There are shut-ins who would like a visit, a kind word, a prayer.  We have the time to do these things.

A few years ago, Toby Keith wrote a song, “Don’t Let the Old Man In.”  It speaks of an old man who just doesn’t yield to the years he’s lived.  He gets up every day and makes it a point not to let the old man in.  Keith wrote the song after a conversation with the then 88 year-old Clint Eastwood who told him why he was so active at his age.

Why is this important?

I retired in 2016 at age 69.  I retired from gainful employment, but I don’t think we can ever retire from God’s service.  Every time I see something else He has for me to do, I think, “Well, I’ll be around a little longer.  God wants me to do this.”

It’s easy for older folks to give up and just await death.  We can think we can’t be useful anymore since often society treats us that way, our children are grown and have lives of their own.  We don’t see them much anymore.  Our job as parents is done. We can relax, exhale, and feelsorry for ourselves.  But, this is the time of our lives when we can be the most useful.  We have more free time.  We understand how things work, what needs to be done, and how to do it. 

We can leave the values and lessons we’ve learned to younger people who can carry them long after we’re gone.

Our days aren’t over.  We need to look where God has placed us and think of why.  We are where we are for a purpose.  If we have money, maybe God wants some of that money used for His work.  If not, maybe the situation we’re in can be used to further God’s work.  Most of us can host a Bible study, talk with our neighbors, write to shut-ins.  The opportunities are endless.  Even if you’re immobile, you can still pray for others.

My cousin used to have a bumper sticker that said, “Happiness is in inside job.”  So is unhappiness.  If you’re grumpy and depressed with your life, get active in God’s work.  A pastor friend used to say “The people on the front line are too busy to complain.”  Get on the front line.  Show them what an old coot can do.