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 You shall give due honor and respect to the elderly, in the fear of God. I am Jehovah. Leviticus 19:32

I found this lovely creature on our patio. He (she?) was obviously towards the end of his or her life and could no longer fly. I didn’t resist the impulse very long to pick the critter up and to gently place the still-live body in some bushes where at least he/she wouldn’t suffer the indignity of death-by-trampling from our gentle but clumsy Great Dane. I don’t make it a habit of rescuing insects, but I somehow sensed that God wanted me to learn something from this fragile being He’d placed in my path.

About the same time as I was graced with this encounter, I received a call from the company that provides for my ninety-one-year-old mother to have a caregiver 40 hours each week. I very much appreciate the service they provide, which enables her to live semi-independently in her own home. However, I have repeatedly insisted that they quit asking me about what should be done for her care. My mom is feeble, but still very much capable of making decisions about her own life. While I may not always agree with her choices, I wholeheartedly support her right to choose. 

Obviously respect for the aged is something about which God cares; when I searched for verses on this subject, I found that there are at least 76 verses specifically addressing respect for those in their old age. It breaks my heart that our culture seems to be moving farther and farther away from God’s higher ways, including in this area. Yet, we can choose to make daily to do the righteous and compassionate thing towards our elders. It may mean being a little more patient or listening a little better or longer. It may mean taking time out of our busy schedules to pay someone a visit. It may mean going out of our way to help an aging parent in transition to alternative living arrangements. Or maybe it just means being intentional about seeking out the most wrinkled, white-haired person we can find in public and looking them in the eyes and smiling sincerely their way, acknowledging their worth. I’m willing to be inconvenienced; are you? 



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