Sin of Pitying the Poor: Forgetting the Elderly

“As long as you have breath in your lungs, God’s not done with you,” is a common phrase spoken within Christian circles. The last group I want to discuss in the series of pitying the poor is how easy it is to forget the elders.  So often, the emphasis of life is raising children and building up the next generation. I fear that sometimes we may forget the ones that have gone before us.  Those who have lived and worked suddenly enter a new chapter of retirement.  Depending on health concerns that come with age, sometimes those of the silver and golden years are treated as washed up.  Maybe it’s pure idealism.  However, if we really believe that people continue to have a purpose on earth until their dying breath, is it possible that even in a changing season, the elders still have something to give?     The matter of figuring out one’s calling is one of the highest anticipating conversations, right next to choosing a marriage partner.  But does one’s calling ever end? Or does it sometimes just shift? I’m sure that there are overarching passions and designs that God has for each individual, but perhaps the way in walking out that calling transfers as time and people come through our lives.     Concerning the elderly, I know there are still passions and heck - they have wisdom that can be shared with the younger generation.  In this season, I’m slightly mourning that leadership training can only include the younger generation, and I’m thinking, “What about any of our older members?”  But as I write, a thought comes to my mind.  Are there any elders (meaning the older population) at church who are actively stepping into leadership capacities?  How many are - on their own account - may have taken themselves out of the picture, because they have seen churches pattern their attention to the youth and/or they believe themselves to be washed up? This may be a both/and situation where people on both sides need to reach.     I admit that of the three topics in this series, I am the least knowledgeable or experienced.  But as someone who is of the age - a bridge between those who are younger and those who are older - I am mindful that a gap needs to be closed.  If the Church is a family, with Christ as the head, then family is more than just staying in our huddle spaces.  I understand that we all have our circles and close friends to whom we go to.  Nevertheless, we also need to learn how to regularly say, “hello” to people outside these circles.  If we stay within our comfort zones, families will turn into factions.  Groups will turn into cliques.  And how can the Body function as such without all our members?  As I look forward in how my Christian community can rally together, my brain is scrambling for ideas on how we can connect with those who we may only see once a week.