Jym Shorts

Jym Shorts - July 28, 2022

by Jym Gregory on July 27, 2022

The glory of youth is in strength, gray hair the splendor of the old. 
–Proverbs 20:29
 
The Western Church has a tendency to place heavy emphasis on youth and the younger generation. I think we can include LifePoint Church in this generalization. There is nothing particularly wrong with this tendency seeing that, statistically, the majority of people in western culture who turn their lives over to Christ do so prior to the age of thirteen. Young people are obviously the next generation of believers, and they should be prayed for, taught, and encouraged both in the home and in the church as they fight the ongoing battle of living out their faith in an increasingly hostile environment. However, it is possible to place too much emphasis on one thing, even if that one thing is a very good thing. Consider what our lives would be like if we concentrated all our efforts solely on the very wise concept of feeding ourselves. Take away the moderation and exercise that leads to vibrant life, and we find ourselves in an unhealthy condition, even though consumption of calories is a necessary part of human existence.
 
Our tendencies are often a map to our hearts and mindsWe tend to be very excited about young couples who join the church and rejoice over them while simply acknowledging an older couple with a friendly smile. We tend to give things and concepts priority over persons and build our society and our culture on these things rather than the people who make them necessary. Big buildings, big attendance, big excitement, big influence, big anything wins the day over anything less “big.” The one thing that must be avoided (to those caught up in this way of thinking) is anything traditional or less than cutting edge. New is good, old is… well, old. 
 
Older people (in the contemporary church, it seems, anyone older than 70) are often times discounted because they are no longer deemed to be heavy producers and are now only “consumers,” not those that can be counted on to advance the cause. Occasionally, the fault lies with those who are older. We hear it said at times in our Christian culture, "I don't want to be a burden to anyone." People say that because our culture is predicated on rugged individuality. It is the name of the game in America. But as author and pastor John Stott noted in his very last book prior to passing away at ninety-three years of age, "You are designed to be a burden to me and I am designed to be a burden to you." The Scriptures call us to "bear one another's burdens, and thus you fulfill the law of Christ" (Gal. 6:2).
 
Jesus himself was a burden to some. He spent a portion of his time on earth as the Incarnate Son of God totally dependent upon his mother and father and the community that helped raise him. He and his band of disciples subsisted, it appears, largely due to the generosity of others (particularly a few women of financial means – see Luke 8:3). He laid down his independence again at the cross, and yet in no way did he lose his divine dignityAlthough the Scriptures exhort us to work hard and engage in life and ministry by our own means whenever possible, there are times when accepting assistance from others is not only acceptable but respectable. This is true not only financially, but physically as well. Given enough time and the hope that we can dodge cars, disease, disasters, and stray bullets, we are all going to grow old. Biblically, it is considered a blessing to do so, and an honor.
 
We have strong children’s, youth, and college ministries here at LifePoint. I am glad for that and appreciative of both the staff and volunteers who make them possible. However, let's not forget that we also have many older people in our church family who make it possible for us to exist as a local congregation. They are dignified, many of them are active, and they are committed to Christ and to the church. Some of them are unable to produce like they once did and need to rely on family, friends, and the church for fellowship, encouragement, teaching, and support. They may not be the future of the church, but they are the present, and it is their past that makes our present possible. We need to remember that we are standing on their shoulders, as many will, Lord willing, be standing on the shoulders of our current young people one day in the future.
 
Wisdom comes almost exclusively with age. Let's be sure that we do not discount that wisdom here at LifePoint. We need our spiritual fathers and mothers, and they need us. That's the way God intended it to be.
 
Grace and peace,
Pastor Jym

Previous Page