1 Timothy 5:1-2 – 1Do not rebuke an older man but encourage him as you would a father, younger men as brothers, 2 older women as mothers, younger women as sisters, in all purity.
Respecting our elders is an aged old practice, it is deeply ingrained in Chinese culture. When addressing elders, Chinese etiquette involves using the word “nin”, which is the polite version of the word “you” in Mandarin. The elders almost always come first in Chinese society. You greet them first in a meeting, and they get seated first at dinner.
Among Native Americans, Elders still meet to make decisions through discussion and consensus. At a presbytery gathering, a meeting of the elders might be called to make recommendations on issues before the governing body, this shows great respect.
Senior citizens have a lifetime of experience, they’ve survived The Great Depression, World War II, Vietnam War, and The Great Recession. They have taught us about enduring change and handling life’s adversity. They may have lost their hearing, or their memory isn’t what it was in the past, but senior citizens have great wisdom to impart. Isn’t it more interesting to hear about history from someone who lived it?
There are several ways we can show our respect and honor our Elders:
| · Take Time to Listen |
|
|
|
|
|
Personally, I wish I had taken the time to sit down with my grandparents to get their take on life and family history, those things I could have handed down to my children and my children’s children. I missed the opportunity; I pray you won’t have to.
Prayer: Heavenly Father, your word has set an example of how we are to honor and respect those who paved the way for us. Remind us of what this looks like, help us to do the things that show respect, to not just some, but all elderly people, despite how we feel about them or their present state of mind. Help us to take the opportunity to glean from them, historical facts that we can someday pass down. We ask this in the name of Jesus, Amen!
