2-3-2014

Good Morning to All,

     Leviticus 19:32; “You shall stand up before the gray head and honor the face of an old man, and you shall fear your God: I am the Lord.”

    It was a number of years ago that this verse first raised its head to me.  I was in high school and it was Thanksgiving.  Instead of the usual cousins and relatives, my parents invited over two of our neighbors.  One was an old widower whose wife I never knew even existed.  The other couple was an older childless couple.  I really didn’t have anything in common with these people other than being a neighbor a couple of generations removed.

   I figured I had football to watch.  I would eat my meal with them, say “please”, “thank you”; smile a lot and look interested like I was supposed to.  I would mind my manners but mostly bide my time.  That was the plan; but plans change.

    As we ate the Thanksgiving meal, the widower started to tell some of his life stories.  He was much more than a bachelor farmer.  He had been a teacher, an architect and did some construction.  He then told me something that I could not even imagined.  He had helped to design and build our church.  He told of digging the basement and all the large rocks that were found and then reused in the actual walls.  He spoke of the bracing of the ceiling and asked me if I had ever walked on the “cat beam” in the ceiling.  This is a walk space that forms an attic in our church.  At that time, I had no idea it existed.

    We finished dinner; he kept talking and I kept listening.  I missed the football game but I gained so much more.  I gained knowledge, I gained insight but above all I began to understand what this verse means.  Our lives are about the relationships that we have because of God’s grace.  He places people in our lives who can enrich our lives and fill it with an appreciation of what God has done for his people in earlier times.  We can see God’s faithfulness even in the toughest of times.

    So it may be that great uncle or aunt who talks a little loud or repeats themselves often; it may be the lonely neighbor down the street; it might be anyone of a dozen people that God has place into your life that God calls us to respect.  That is really what the second table of the Ten Commandments are about; respect for others, respect for ourselves and respect for what God has given to us. 

    So take the time to show respect for your elders, for those in your community to whom God has given the gift of long life.  God has blessed them and they deserve our respect and our honor.  Yet if you truly honor them and listen to them; they can enliven your life and enrich your knowledge and understanding of God’s riches.

God of grace, you bless our lives with many people in our midst.  Remind us of the grace that you have bestowed on others and how, through them, you bestow your grace upon us.  Guide us to receive these blessings as the enrichment of our lives.  In Jesus’ precious name we pray, amen.

God’s Peace,                 

Pastor Bret