A couple of elderly ladies taught me some valuable lessons recently.
The first lady I was privileged to sit beside at a wedding reception. She was timelessly elegant and charming. Her conversation was informed and witty. And she was blind.
While she covered it brilliantly, up close you could see she was finding some of the day challenging. However when the music started and the grandchildren came asking she left aside her walking aid and graciously allowed herself to be guided onto the dancefloor for an unhurried but no less convincing twirl.
Neither age nor disability need stop us celebrating love with our family!
The second lady stopped to speak to me after church one Sunday to ask if the microphone needed adjusting. When I apologised that I sometimes drop my voice she smiled serenely and said, ‘It’s alright. I just bask in the glory of being in God’s House.’
Frail as she was, she loved coming to worship, even if she couldn’t hear everything!
21st Century culture often seems to worship youth and strenuously labour to overturn many of the values taught by our ‘elders’. Maybe we need to listen, observe and think a little more, whatever age we are. Remembering we are all getting older perhaps we can learn something from those who have more experience of life than us.
‘Come, my children, listen to me and I will teach you the fear of the Lord.
Whoever of you loves life and desires to see many good days,
Keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking lies.
Turn from evil and do good;
Seek peace and pursue it.
The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and His ears are attentive to their cry;
The face of the Lord is against those who do evil,
To cut off the memory of them from the earth.’ (Psalm 34 v 11-16)
‘My son, do not forget my teaching, but keep my commands in your heart,
For they will prolong your life many years and bring you prosperity.
Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck,
Write them on the tablet of your heart.
Then you will win favour and a good name in the sight of God and man.
Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;
In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.’ (Proverbs 3 v 1-6)
The first lady I was privileged to sit beside at a wedding reception. She was timelessly elegant and charming. Her conversation was informed and witty. And she was blind.
While she covered it brilliantly, up close you could see she was finding some of the day challenging. However when the music started and the grandchildren came asking she left aside her walking aid and graciously allowed herself to be guided onto the dancefloor for an unhurried but no less convincing twirl.
Neither age nor disability need stop us celebrating love with our family!
The second lady stopped to speak to me after church one Sunday to ask if the microphone needed adjusting. When I apologised that I sometimes drop my voice she smiled serenely and said, ‘It’s alright. I just bask in the glory of being in God’s House.’
Frail as she was, she loved coming to worship, even if she couldn’t hear everything!
21st Century culture often seems to worship youth and strenuously labour to overturn many of the values taught by our ‘elders’. Maybe we need to listen, observe and think a little more, whatever age we are. Remembering we are all getting older perhaps we can learn something from those who have more experience of life than us.
‘Come, my children, listen to me and I will teach you the fear of the Lord.
Whoever of you loves life and desires to see many good days,
Keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking lies.
Turn from evil and do good;
Seek peace and pursue it.
The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and His ears are attentive to their cry;
The face of the Lord is against those who do evil,
To cut off the memory of them from the earth.’ (Psalm 34 v 11-16)
‘My son, do not forget my teaching, but keep my commands in your heart,
For they will prolong your life many years and bring you prosperity.
Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck,
Write them on the tablet of your heart.
Then you will win favour and a good name in the sight of God and man.
Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;
In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.’ (Proverbs 3 v 1-6)
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