I was walking through a busy crowd when an elderly lady cut in front of me. My first instinct was to quickly cut around her because she was walking very slowly. The only problem was, if I had done that, I might have brushed against her, potentially knocking her over and cutting her off.
Okay, full transparency. Please don’t judge me, but I thought about it. I was busy, I needed to get where I was going, and I really hate walking slowly. And I hate feeling like I’m behind everyone. It was a real-life dilemma for me.
Just as I was about to pass her, I felt a tug on my heart and a voice in my head. It said, “Zac, honor the aged. She deserves it, and one day, you will be there. Be patient and show her kindness.”
So that’s what I did. I stayed behind her, waiting patiently for her to get where she was going. I gave her the honor she deserved.
When it comes to the elderly, the Bible teaches us to “Stand up in the presence of the aged, show respect for the elderly and revere your God. I am the Lord.” (Leviticus 19:32)
When we honor our elders, we show our reverence toward God. Honor is the gift God would have us bestow on the aged.
Our culture gives so much attention to the young and beautiful, the rich and famous. This focus can become so intense that we often overlook older people and think they have nothing to offer. Nothing could be further from the truth.
We tend to forget the wealth of knowledge our parents, grandparents, and great-grandparents have to share. They’ve lived longer than Siri, Alexa, and Google.
They have lived real lives, full of failures and successes, experiencing the full circle of sadness turned to joy. Something that AI never has and never will.
Age is a gift from God. We should honor all who have been granted that gift. And as we honor them, we should take time to see what we can learn from them.
For me, I learned to be more patient. Patience and honor are just two of the many lessons we can gain when we slow down and appreciate the wisdom of those who have come before us. What will you learn?
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