God never ceases to amaze me! So often when an issue or thought is heavy on my mind, voila!, a message, i.e., e-mail, blog, comment, etc., from another will come addressing that very issue. That happened today.
Last night I lay in bed wrestling with a thought that has long bothered me. For many years I have wondered why so many churches teach "Unity" - Unity in Christ, Unity in Fellowship, Unity in Worship, etc. Yet as soon as that church has more than ten members - they begin to divide the fellowship.
I have seen this happen in Sunday School classes, Bible studies, and many other functions throughout the church family. But I have seen it especially in Bible studies and Sunday School classes. And I have often asked myself, "Why? Why do they teach unity, and then divide the people?" To the best of my knowledge, we have a number of Bible translations - King James, New King James, New American Standard, New International Version, and many others.
But, I have never seen a Bible translation specifically designated: Youth, Young Adult, Young Married, Old Married, Single Men, Single Women, German Shepherd, Poodle, etc. Okay, those last two were being a wee bit facetious - but you get the point. God did not author a Bible just for Young Adults, nor for Senior Adults.
When we have Responsive Scripture Reading in our worship service, I have never had anyone tell us, "Please open your Young Adult Bible" or "Please open your Senior Bible." And when I go into most Christian bookstores today, I never see Bible shelves labelled in that way. I see KJV, NKJV, NASB, NIV, etc. - but never YAB nor SB.
So, why do churches which preach "Unity" - immediately start segregating us by age, marital status, color of our eyes? Okay, I am getting a wee bit facetious again - but I often get that feeling when I hear "Unity" but see "Segregation."
But enough of my ranting. Let me share with you the eNewsletter which came today from Dr. Harold Sala of Guidelines International Ministries.
And I pray it will prompt all of us to consider, "Are we depriving our younger generation of the knowledge and wisdom of the older generation? Are we depriving our older generation of the energy and enthusiasm of our younger generation? What can be gained by integrating the two ~ instead of segregating them?"
Personally, I love the energy I receive through fellowship with the many different groups in our church family. The very young make me smile - the younger youth excites me when I see them stepping forward and participating in our worship and studies.
It is exciting to hear from the young adults about their educational and career endeavors. I am encouraged when I am with young married couples and see that God-given institute still alive and well with them. And I gain much needed knowledge from joining in discussions with older adult and seniors in our church family. It is as though I draw life-blood from all of them, all ages.
I know we all have heard the old well intentioned comment, "Grandpa tells so many stories!" But have you stopped to consider that this is because grandpa has traveled many more roads than you - and just may have knowledge to impart? In the late 1980s I became interested in family genealogy and began to dig into my family tree. I had an uncle who was 100 years old - and I was excited to sit and talk with him.
My mom and I went to see Uncle Louie when I was home on a visit, but when we got there he was taking a nap. I told mom, "Not a problem. I will be back in a few months and then we will see Uncle Louie." That was never to happen, for Uncle Louie passed away a month later. All that family knowledge went with him.
Imagine how much we all miss when we segregate people in our church family into different rooms. Just my thoughts! And I was blessed and encouraged today when I found the Dr. Harold Sala agrees with me.
God bless, have a wonderful, blessed day,
Bill
Last night I lay in bed wrestling with a thought that has long bothered me. For many years I have wondered why so many churches teach "Unity" - Unity in Christ, Unity in Fellowship, Unity in Worship, etc. Yet as soon as that church has more than ten members - they begin to divide the fellowship.
I have seen this happen in Sunday School classes, Bible studies, and many other functions throughout the church family. But I have seen it especially in Bible studies and Sunday School classes. And I have often asked myself, "Why? Why do they teach unity, and then divide the people?" To the best of my knowledge, we have a number of Bible translations - King James, New King James, New American Standard, New International Version, and many others.
But, I have never seen a Bible translation specifically designated: Youth, Young Adult, Young Married, Old Married, Single Men, Single Women, German Shepherd, Poodle, etc. Okay, those last two were being a wee bit facetious - but you get the point. God did not author a Bible just for Young Adults, nor for Senior Adults.
When we have Responsive Scripture Reading in our worship service, I have never had anyone tell us, "Please open your Young Adult Bible" or "Please open your Senior Bible." And when I go into most Christian bookstores today, I never see Bible shelves labelled in that way. I see KJV, NKJV, NASB, NIV, etc. - but never YAB nor SB.
So, why do churches which preach "Unity" - immediately start segregating us by age, marital status, color of our eyes? Okay, I am getting a wee bit facetious again - but I often get that feeling when I hear "Unity" but see "Segregation."
But enough of my ranting. Let me share with you the eNewsletter which came today from Dr. Harold Sala of Guidelines International Ministries.
And I pray it will prompt all of us to consider, "Are we depriving our younger generation of the knowledge and wisdom of the older generation? Are we depriving our older generation of the energy and enthusiasm of our younger generation? What can be gained by integrating the two ~ instead of segregating them?"
The First Five Gifts Seniors Have to Give
By Dr. Harold Sala, November 09, 2018
“Gray hair is a crown of splendor; it is attained by a righteous life” (Proverbs 16:31).
A senior citizen, eyeing a parking spot that had just been vacated at a mall, was slowly backing up his aging luxury car, to get room to maneuver into the spot when a teenager in a small, red sports car came from the other direction and zipped into the spot. Jumping over the side of his little car, the youth called out, “That’s ‘cause I’m young and fast.”
The old man revved up his engine and plowed ahead - straight into the little sports car folding it up like an accordion. Then, turning to the horror-stricken youth, he said, “That’s ‘cause I’m old and rich.”
Why is there a gap between the young and old? I did a study of what Scripture says about the elderly. First, I noticed that many directives are found in the Old Testament, most of them written by Moses, ensuring not only that the elders among us be given respect, but that their needs be provided for. About all that Paul adds is that widows are properly taken care of by the family of God.
I’ve also noticed that the farther we as a society move from God’s norm and plan, the more we shuttle our elders to “warehouses for the aged,” as Margaret Mead described them, checking on their health only to determine how long it will be until the will is executed and we can get our hands on their money.
“Grandma,” asked a little boy, “where do you keep your bucket?” Somewhat puzzled, the elderly lady asked, “What do mean, ‘my bucket’?” she asked. “Well,” replied the little boy of about five, “daddy says that when you kick the bucket we get a lot of money.”
What do seniors have which younger generations need besides money? Plenty! Try these for a living inheritance.
Gift #1: Give the benefit of your experience. No, your children and grandchildren don’t always want advice on how to handle things. They, like you did a generation before, want to live their own lives and make their own mistakes. But your experience is a valuable asset. Shared judiciously and kindly, it can be a tremendous help. Nobody can live long enough to make all the mistakes so we can learn much from the experience of our elders.
Gift #2: Share your wisdom. “Old so soon; smart so late,” we sometimes quip, yet the reluctance to sue, or to tell off your boss, or to file for divorce which an older generation has is often not a weakness, but a reflection of their greater wisdom - something which can be acquired only with time. Frankly, wisdom is something that is transmitted by being there, by caring, by listening, not by a recitation of, “Here’s what I would do if I were you” counsel.
Gift #3: Provide connectivity. And what’s that? If you are the senior generation - whether you are 60 or 90, you are the bridge to the past, and there is tremendous strength in being connected to the family tree (biological and spiritual). It’s the difference between a sapling blowing in the wind and a branch being attached to an Oak or Banyan tree. Talk about your youth, your family, and your memories as a child. These memories form a valuable tapestry.
Gift #4: Perspective. “One of the reasons young people take their lives,” commented a funeral director, “is that they lack perspective. They don’t understand that you can work through problems.” You seniors have been there. You’ve lived through wars and depressions and you know that God will take you through tough times. Pass that on.
Gift #5: Godliness. This, of course, you can’t pass on unless you have it yourself. Timothy was the product of his godly mother and grandmother. Though God has no grandchildren, godly parents can make a tremendous difference to the third and forth generation. Never forget it.
Resource reading: Psalm 92:12-15
Personally, I love the energy I receive through fellowship with the many different groups in our church family. The very young make me smile - the younger youth excites me when I see them stepping forward and participating in our worship and studies.
It is exciting to hear from the young adults about their educational and career endeavors. I am encouraged when I am with young married couples and see that God-given institute still alive and well with them. And I gain much needed knowledge from joining in discussions with older adult and seniors in our church family. It is as though I draw life-blood from all of them, all ages.
I know we all have heard the old well intentioned comment, "Grandpa tells so many stories!" But have you stopped to consider that this is because grandpa has traveled many more roads than you - and just may have knowledge to impart? In the late 1980s I became interested in family genealogy and began to dig into my family tree. I had an uncle who was 100 years old - and I was excited to sit and talk with him.
My mom and I went to see Uncle Louie when I was home on a visit, but when we got there he was taking a nap. I told mom, "Not a problem. I will be back in a few months and then we will see Uncle Louie." That was never to happen, for Uncle Louie passed away a month later. All that family knowledge went with him.
Imagine how much we all miss when we segregate people in our church family into different rooms. Just my thoughts! And I was blessed and encouraged today when I found the Dr. Harold Sala agrees with me.
God bless, have a wonderful, blessed day,
Bill
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