A Few Things to Change

July has been a busy month.  A trip to the Black Hills, the Independence Day celebration, family reunion in Illinois, and of course the normal work around the house and as a vocation.  These are all things that keep one busy, if not young.

It’s hard to believe we’re on the downhill slide of the year 2014.  It’s even harder to believe that I will soon be a Medicare beneficiary.  And once that happens, it’s permanent…no going back…no winding the clock the opposite way.

I can sort of understand it when older folks are reluctant to make the trip to assisted living, or even independent living.  And having to go from one’s home to long term care (a nursing home) is even more of a traumatic thing.  Because once they go, there’ s no going back.  Once the downsizing begins, it seems to gather steam until that final downsizing when the truth of Scripture is manifested:  “For we have brought nothing into this world, so we cannot take anything out of it, either.  (I Timothy 6:7)

There is an old joke that sometimes goes around about folks entering into the front door of a nursing facility or living facility, and exiting out the back door…in a hearse.  It takes someone with a certain combination of resignation, satisfaction in life lived, and peace with God to make that transition in a dignified and respected way.  It takes someone who believes he or she still has value and is still valued to live his remainder of days with dignity and grace.

And that valuing of a life…that dignity that is human life…comes not only from within, but also from without.  For how a person is treated by others is key to one’s own thought process regarding his or her value as a human being.

Those of us who are younger should beware of our propensity to dismiss the elderly or to marginalize them to the fringes of society and family.  Simply by virtue of length of years, these people deserve a certain amount of respect and deference.  Pandering to or condescending to the elderly is NOT imputing value and dignity.  Listening…really listening…is one of the keys to truly valuing them as persons.  Seeing to needs, being available, and demonstrating genuine concern and care are also vital in any relationship.

Those of us who are younger will soon enough be among those of us who are older.  Have we burned bridges during our younger days?  Have we ended relationships through crass and boorish behavior or outright hostility toward someone we would later wish we had within our circle of friends and relatives?  Or will we face the remainder of our days alone and lonely, wishing desperately for some genuine interaction and concern?

Leviticus 19:32 tells one of the old law’s principles for living.  It’s pertinent today as well, because the verse gives us an understanding of how God sees the aged.  And since God never changes, He still regards the honoring of the aged as good.  "Thou shalt rise up before the hoary head, and honour the face of the old man, and fear thy God: I am the Lord."  Job 12:12 talks of wisdom and understanding in the elderly.  He says in one of his discourses, "With the ancient is wisdom; and in length of days understanding."

We are admonished in other passages to give honor to our father and mother, and to seek wisdom and understanding from the elderly.  We are told that the aged can indeed minister to God in fruitful ways, and are given examples of Godly men and women who have done so (Caleb and Anna among others).\

So, regardless of your age, as you see the days and years hurtling past, give good assessment to your thoughts and opinions regarding the aging and the aged.  Think about how you would like to be treated when you are 90 years old.  You might just find you have a few things to change.