older

An elderly man went to the doctor for a visit. "Doc," he says," I am so stricken. I have chest pains, headaches, back pains, nausea, arthritis, constipation, stomach cramps, earaches, burning in the eyes, congested lungs..."

     "Sir," says the doctor, "you complain you have so many things. What don't you have?"

     The man answers, "Teeth."

Old age should be looked upon with honor and respect.  The Bible teaches us to respect and look up to those who are older.  God commanded the Israelites in Leviticus 19:32, "You shall rise before the gray headed and honor the presence of an old man."  In I Peter 5:5, Peter says to Christians, "Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders."  Now he's not talking about the office of elder here.  He's talking about members who are older.  Old age is something that should be respected and in most cultures of the world it is, but unfortunately not always here in America.

Here, youth is glorified, so age is something that you cover up and deny, not something seen as good or enjoyable.  One of the new concepts that our industrial world has brought us is "planned obsolescence" -- it's the idea that what isn't new isn't desirable.  And, so it follows, according to this reasoning, that when people wear out, they should be pushed aside and ignored.

The talents and skills of the elderly, acquired over a lifetime, are often ignored.  Older people often feel they've spent their whole life working to become good at something, only to find that nobody wants their skill.  And so they struggle with feelings of uselessness, loneliness and depression.

I think we need to do a better job (both in the church and in our personal lives) of making use of this vast resource of wisdom and experience.  I encourage you to sit down with the oldest person you know and simply ask the question, "What are some of the greatest lessons you've learned in life?"  Be prepared to take notes!

-alan smith