via TJC
“You shall rise up before the greyheaded, and honor the aged, and you shall revere your God; I am the Lord.” Leviticus 19:32
“Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls.” Jeremiah 6:16
The culture in our country, the U.S.A. has shifted! We no longer revere our elders. We have little respect for them. They are cast off to the side and are obsolete, outdated, and portrayed as doddering old fools. We no longer choose to learn from them. We no longer seek out those who have gone before us and have struggled with the same things we struggle with today: fractured marriage relationships, problems on our job with those who rule over us, lost dreams, lost vision. Instead, we don’t listen, we don’t honor; we know better than they do!
I’ve often said it before in DBO’s I’ve written, “let’s begin with the end in mind”. No matter your age, how do you want to be respected and honored as you grow old? What will the epitaph read on your tombstone? Borrowing from Brett and Kate McKay, in their article “As I Am Now”, they talk about the life we are living now and an antidote for reflection that can be found in centuries old graveyards, There, you’ll often find gravestones inscribed with an epigraph well-worth reflecting on.
It reads:
Remember me as you pass by,
As you are now, so once was I,
As I am now, soon you will be,
So prepare yourself to follow me.
I am personally at those crossroads the prophet talks about and so are you. As Kingdom Men, we are called now to see with the eyes of the heart. In Our TJC Creed we declare this: “If a brother, uncle, guardian, mentor, or friend, I will give honor in all of my relationships. I will lead, teach, correct, and train in the spirit of righteousness.”
I have learned much from my elders through the course of my life; sadly, I did not always follow or accept their advice; much to my detriment. And now, being 70 years old, I wonder if the counsel I give is listened to, accepted, and acted upon by those I try to lead, teach, correct, and train. There are giants who have gone before us, men and women who we can respect and revere as they have encountered all of those things we struggle with today. Let us take what James says to heart. “But prove yourselves doers of the word and not merely hearers who delude themselves.” James 1:22
What is it that I wrestle with? Honoring those who have gone before me and are now dead. Honoring them by taking what they taught me and teaching others from these giants of love.
Daily Battle Order:
What have you done to honor or show respect to your elders? Act now while you and they have time, before it’s too late.
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