INVISIBLE OLD PEOPLE

INVISIBLE OLD PEOPLE

I've been alive since the late 40s. That indicates I am old. I have noticed a change in attitude toward the elderly since I was young. They are no longer treated special, helped, visited, honored, and are no longer a source of advice or information. Even some churches ignore them. They may as well be invisible.

The Bible has a lot to say about how old people are to be treated. God doesn't make a big deal out of how they are treated since He too is old. They simply have their place in His heart.

Family members don't seem to appreciate what their elderly grandma or grandpa has to say until their elderly predecessors die. They don't appreciate what their parents or grandparents went through in life and wish they had asked more questions. They wish they hadn't been sassy or smart-aleck to their parents and/or grandparents when they were given advice. But when it's over, it's over. There's no going back and "fixing it."

Here's what God has to say about how old people are to be treated:

“Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you. Ex. 20:12

“‘Each of you must respect your mother and father..." Lev. 19:3a
“‘Stand up in the presence of the aged, show respect for the elderly and revere your God. I am the Lord. Lev. 19:32

“Honor your father and your mother, as the Lord your God has commanded you, so that you may live long and that it may go well with you in the land the Lord your God is giving you. Deut. 5:16

Is not wisdom found among the aged? Does not long life bring understanding? Job 12:12

It is not only the old who are wise, not only the aged who understand what is right. Job 32:9

Listen, my son, to your father’s instruction and do not forsake your mother’s teaching. Prov. 1:8

My son, keep your father’s command and do not forsake your mother’s teaching. Prov. 6:20

A foolish son brings grief to his father and bitterness to the mother who bore him. Prov. 17:25

Whoever robs their father and drives out their mother is a child who brings shame and disgrace. Prov. 19:26

Children’s children are a crown to the aged, and parents are the pride of their children. Prov. 17:6

Listen to your father, who gave you life, and do not despise your mother when she is old. Prov. 23:22

May your father and mother rejoice; may she who gave you birth be joyful! Prov. 23:25

Whoever robs their father or mother and says, “It’s not wrong,” is partner to one who destroys. Prov. 28:24

“There are those who curse their fathers and do not bless their mothers;

12 those who are pure in their own eyes and yet are not cleansed of their filth; Prov. 30:11-12

“The eye that mocks a father, that scorns an aged mother, will be pecked out by the ravens of the valley, will be eaten by the vultures. Prov. 30:17

Jesus replied, “‘You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, 19 honor your father and mother,’ and ‘love your neighbor as yourself.’ Matt. 19:18

You know the commandments: ‘You shall not commit adultery, you shall not murder, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, honor your father and mother.’” Luke 18:20

Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. 2 “Honor your father and mother”—which is the first commandment with a promise—3 “so that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth.” Eph. 6:1-3

Do not rebuke an older man harshly, but exhort him as if he were your father. Treat younger men as brothers, 2 older women as mothers, and younger women as sisters, with absolute purity. 3 Give proper recognition to those widows who are really in need. I Tim. 5:1-3

Teach the older men to be temperate, worthy of respect, self-controlled, and sound in faith, in love and in endurance. Likewise, teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers or addicted to much wine, but to teach what is good. 4 Then they can urge the younger women to love their husbands and children, Tit. 2:2-4

You, however, must teach what is appropriate to sound doctrine. 2 Teach the older men to be temperate, worthy of respect, self-controlled, and sound in faith, in love and in endurance. 3 Likewise, teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers or addicted to much wine, but to teach what is good. 4 Then they can urge the younger women to love their husbands and children, 5 to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God. 6 Similarly, encourage the young men to be self-controlled. 7 In everything set them an example by doing what is good. In your teaching show integrity, seriousness 8 and soundness of speech that cannot be condemned, so that those who oppose you may be ashamed because they have nothing bad to say about us. Titus 2:3-8

Anyone who does not provide for their relatives, and especially for their own household, has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever. I Timothy 5:8 NIV

But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel. I Timothy 5:8 KJV

--Compiled by Becky Wall

All scriptures are from the New International Version (NIV) Bible unless indicated otherwise.

#elderly #oldpeople #seniors #octogenerian #septuagenarian