“If a widow has children or grandchildren, they should learn first of all to put their religion into practice by caring for their own family and so repaying their parents and grandparents, for this is pleasing to God.”
1 Timothy 5:4 NIV
Abandonment of the elderly is widespread in our nation and nearly unheard of in many others.
The fact that Scripture even addresses it tells us the problem is nothing new. Apparently, neglecting those who once cared for us has been a human failing for a very long time.
Years spent helping seniors survive—and, whenever possible, thrive—have sometimes left this warm heart cold and bitter.
I have watched families deliver Mom, Dad or Grandma to assisted living like a package left at the doorstep, then disappear into lives apparently too busy to return.
If you’ve followed me for any length of time, you’ve read my stories. I have been the only “family” present for Thanksgivings, birthdays, hospital stays and funerals. I’ve tracked down distant relatives more times than I care to remember, following trails of unanswered emails, disconnected phone numbers and people who simply did not want to be found.
For 11 years, I had the privilege of working alongside people who cared deeply and routinely went the extra mile for a generation very close to my heart—and sometimes painfully far from the hearts of those who should have been closest.
Scripture doesn’t describe caring for our elders as a sentimental gesture. It calls it putting our faith into practice. It is repayment of a debt of love. And God says it pleases Him.
If you still have a parent or grandparent, call them. Visit them. Sit longer than is convenient. Listen to the story you’ve already heard 20 times. Sacrifice something from your busy present for someone whose remaining tomorrows are growing fewer.
One day, if God grants us the years, we will become the old, the feeble and the infirm ourselves.
And perhaps one of the most sobering measures of the lives we lived will be whether someone learned from us that the elderly are not burdens to be managed, but treasures to be honored.
Sorry for the rant.
This one is personal.
