Issue 971 – Potential – January 31, 2023
This fall, I took this picture of an everbearing strawberry in a community garden. I was struck by the fact that it produced fruit all summer and was growing yet another berry and blooming to continue the process. All the while, it was sending out runners to make new strawberry plants. Despite having borne plenty of fruit, it continues to have so much potential.
The productivity of this little plant made me think of the church, particularly the older saints. Some believers keep growing in the Lord and bearing fruit in His name. They are active in bringing others to Christ and discipling young saints.
The speech of these senior saints is peppered with Scripture and the praises of God. They take the time to listen to others and are quick to pray for you.
These delightful, godly people are seen talking to the children and youth, building relationships. They invest in the lives of adults younger than themselves. In short, these people are a blessing to many in the name of Christ. They radiate love and compassion, and you can see Jesus in them.
On the other hand, every congregation seems to have its senior saints who have “retired.” They don’t want to deal with younger people and are often curmudgeonly and cranky.
These grumpy folk have learned all the Scriptures they plan on learning, think that they know all the answers and have “done their time,” so they don’t serve.
I used to get quite annoyed with the latter group. As I have aged, I have gained an appreciation for the aches and pains of aging and the frustration of things taking longer to do.
Rather than growing irritated, I am learning to become more compassionate toward these grumpy seniors. Somewhere along the line, they have lost their joy and passion.
There is no retirement age for Christians. The focus of our ministry might shift as we age and our abilities differ, but we are also given the gift of time to invest in others.
There are many times when the compassion of a senior saint makes all the difference in the life of a younger believer or in bringing another golden ager to the joy of becoming a follower of Jesus.
I love these words from Paul to Titus,
Older men are to be sober-minded, dignified, self-controlled, sound in faith, in love, and in steadfastness. Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves to much wine. They are to teach what is good, and so train the young women to love their husbands and children, 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
From the youngest age, all saints have a role in the church. Those roles will vary over time and life stage, but senior saints have a particular calling to compassion, sound doctrine and faithfulness.
All true saints will go to glory with the Lord. Will you stand there having wasted your final years or having served faithfully to the best of your ability?
Be Blessed
Hallelu Yah / Praise God
Kevin
Gleanings From The Word
Experience an extraordinary God in ordinary life.
Soli Deo Gloria (For the glory of God alone)
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All contents, “Gleanings From The Word” and “Experience an Extraordinary God in Ordinary Life,” are © 2001, 2023 K.F. “Kevin” Corbin Gleanings From The Word.
Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture is from the English Standard Version (ESV).
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