THANK YOU FOR GIVING TO THE LORD

SepTEMBER 7, 2008

Ruth 4:13-17; Psalm 71:9; Titus 2:2-3

A grandmother is a lady who has no children of her own,
so she likes other people's little girls. A grandfather is a
man grandmother. He goes for walks with the boys and
they talk about fishing and tractors and like that.
Grandmas don't have to do anything except be there.
They're old, so they shouldn't play hard or run. It is
enough if they drive us to the market where the pretend
horse is and have lots of dimes ready. Or if they take us
for walks, they should slow down past things like pretty
leaves or caterpillars. They should never ever say 'hurry
up.'

Usually they are fat, but not too fat to tie kids’ shoes.
They wear glasses and funny underwear. They can take
their teeth out and gums off.

It is better if they don't typewrite or play cards except
with us. They don't have to be smart, only answer questions
like why dogs hate cats and how come God isn't married.
They don't talk baby talk like visitors do, because it is hard
to understand. When they read to us they don't skip, or
mind if it is the same story again.

Everybody should try to have one, especially if you don't
have television, because grandmas are the only grown ups
who have got time.

Happy Grandparents Day! And on this day we take time to thank God for the heritage of grandparents that all of us are blessed with. Only Grandma would let me eat cookies when I shouldn’t. Only Grandma could make cornbread without a recipe. Only Grandma could tell scary stories that would keep me awake at night.

Your kids, my kids, our kids need grandparents. The children of our church need those of us older to step in at times and grandparent them. The kids in our community need the wisdom and influence of the older folks- I suppose those in their golden years- people like a lot of you.

The American Indians always highly valued the elders of the tribe. The elders were the ones who were to dispense wisdom and knowledge that was the result of their years of experiences both good and bad. In fact, the core values of our Tribe are referred to as the “Seven Grandfather Teachings” of Wisdom, Love, Respect, Bravery, Truth, Humility and Honesty. For Tribal people God is referred to as “Grandfather”- a name of endearment and respect. The role of the elders to set an example for the younger tribal citizens is lauded over and over. They have something to give to our young people.

How important it is that the grandparents here today do the same in sharing their life of learning, not from some formal education, but from the school of hard knocks. And how valuable that kind of teaching is to the young people of today!

Margaret Mead, the noted anthropologist, has said a lot of controversial things, but you will find no authorities debating her statement in her article “Grandparents and Educators.” In it she said, "Somehow we have to get the older people, grandparents, widows and widowers, spinsters and bachelors, back close to children if we are to restore a sense of community, a sense of knowledge of the past, and a sense of future to today's children."

I couldn’t agree more! Today we need grandmas and grandpas to take up the slack where parents are floundering or downright failing our kids. I thank God for the grandparents in my children’s lives. Sure, they weren’t perfect grandparents but in my mind they were perfect enough.

In our scripture text we read of the closing years of an old woman named Naomi. Naomi has returned to her native land of Israel but has no means to care for herself. She needs a man to redeem her possessions and the only way that happens is when her foreign daughter-in-law, Ruth, follows her to a strange land, meets up with Boaz and marries him. She then conceives a child and gives birth to a son, Obed, the grandfather of the future King David. And we see a strapping baby boy sitting on the lap Naomi. The people all around celebrate for and with Naomi that she has gained not merely a grandson but a son who is her kinsmen redeemer.

There are three very important aspects of this circumstance of the Grandmother, Naomi, and how her life not only was changed but how God came through and used her to change the future. I want to use this framework to remind you as grandparents how important your role is and your place in society.

Let me begin by reminding us that through grandparents…

1. Our Ancestral Roots are Remembered.

Not everybody is a grandparent but everybody is a grandchild. And as grandchildren, we need those connections to our ancestral roots that somehow does something for our self-worth and self-esteem. How does that work?

a. Without grandparents we would forget our past.

Without the memories of the long lost years of the 30’s I would have very little clue about the Great Depression. But my Grandmother and Dad lived as the poorest of the poor in Versailles, Kentucky. I also learned of family members and their idiosyncracies of which some I wished I didn’t know.

Many of you have heard me speak of my mom dying young at the age of 51 and my grandmother dying at the age of 39- a few years before I was born. One of our tribal elders knew my mom and my grandmother. He tells stories of my grandmother, especially, that does something for my inner being and my sense of connection to the past.

b. Without grandparents we would lose our future.

In fact, if I didn’t have grandparents then I don’t exist. We often think of our young people as our future. Well, the fact is without godly and wise grandparents there would be no future. Most of us don’t realize that what we enjoy today was built on the backs of many of you and your generations. The future would be lost if you had not made sacrifices in the past.

I think of this church and the buildings and facilities we have; however, they weren’t built by me or paid for by our younger people. You and your grandparents sacrificed and sweated and cried over putting together what God called you to do.

c. Without grandparents we would miss the present.

You in our older generation remind us of the present joys of life. One day, my body is going to begin to falter. No longer will I be able to shoot a lay-up or climb a tree and shoot my bow and arrow. I and those around my age need to enjoy the present but also look with expectation to the future.

Not only are your roots remembered but through grandparents…

2. Our Current Reality is Renewed.

Not everyone is a godly grandparent. And this may be where the message begins to turn for some. The reality is that true grandparenting comes by the work of the Holy Spirit in the lives of Christians. I am convinced that God calls every grandparent to a life of love, holiness and sacrifice. Sadly, not enough grandparents or even enough Christian grandparents fit this description.

But there is something about godly grandparents that help me in this day and age.

a. Godly Grandparents authenticate this present life.
Life gets hard at times. And life is tough. But I have seen the lives of enough of you to know that there is a certain faithfulness that is needed in these days. You have followed God in the workplaces as well as the church fellowship. You live out your days in prayer. You authenticate this present life for the rest of us by the daily actions of your faithfulness to God. Thank you.

b. Godly Grandparents teach us the wisdom of life.

I have learned so many things from many of you but the one thing that continually disturbs my thinking is that I don’t have all the answers. However, by listening to your stories and hearing your perspectives I have learned a certain wisdom that only comes with the years of serving God. Thank you.

c. Godly Grandparents model for us the practicality of life.

You have patterned for young people like me what it is to live by faith, to live within your means and to do the right things no matter what. As younger people we need your models of sensibility and no-nonsense living. Thank you.

Through godly grandparenting you are renewing the Church’s sense of reality and understanding that these are no normal times.

I also see…

3. Old Relationships are Reborn.

Some of the great lessons in life are learned best when we get older. So often the things we think are so important and so critical seems to fade as we get older. Many of us need only look back a few years and find that perhaps we stood too hard for some things and hurt the relations we had with people and even family members that we dearly love.

As we get older we can use the wisdom of our years as we allow the Holy Spirit to work through our life to see old relationships reborn. Let’s not wait for the next funeral to wish that we had made up with old acquaintances. I have three suggestions on this issue.

a. Break the Bonds that Divide You from Others.

Sometimes it seems to me that there is a particular bond of divisiveness between parents and children. What I mean is that the only means of communication between some parents and adult children is disagreement. This bond of disagreement is not good nor is it healthy for the grandchildren.

First, don’t speak ill or evil about your grandchildren’s parents. Always speak positively.

Second, respect your children’s expectations for the grandchildren. Don’t do things that undermine their authority.

For you to be all that God calls you to be as a grandparent find a way to reach back into the lives of your children and grandchildren. It may mean apologizing and making things right. But do the right thing.

b. Build a Bridge Over the Troubled Waters.

Our adult children and their children need help at times. When you see them struggling in the troubled waters don’t just shout swimming lessons. Help them out and then teach them to swim.

c. Broaden Your Awareness of the Needs of Others.

I stepped into the home a grandparent one time who proudly displayed pictures of their grandchildren except one. The grandfather refused to display his eldest grandson because he wore a nose-ring and had funny colored hair. I was shocked and not sure what to say in that moment.

As a grandparent is impendent upon you to accept your grandchildren and strive to understand the difficulties that they face in a world that is increasingly calling them to do things differently. I wonder how much different this young, lost man might respond to the gospel if his grandfather would love him half as much as Jesus loves him. I’ll say this, it will be very difficult for that boy to believe that Jesus loves him if his grandfather- who claims to be a Christian- acts as thought he does not.

Learn to love each one of your grandchildren. So what if they talk weird, dress funny or listen to goofy music. Just remember, someday they will have grandchildren who will talk weird to them, look funnier and listen to crazier music.

The last observation about grandparenting that I believe is critical to your walk of faith is to experience a…

4. Personal Religion that is Redeemed.

So often are so many Christians diagnosed with such a bad case of the hardening of the categories that we lose personal sight of our own relationship with God. I want to be a grandparent who loves God in such a way that I will continually experience a renewal of my own faith.

How can you experience a personal religion that is redemptive in your old age?

a. Let God work again in your life.

Take time out for some real prayer and fasting in your life. Take time in the Word and take time to listen. You may be retired and you may be tired but commit your ways to the Lord and see him rise again in your heart.

b. Seek God daily through prayer and the Word.

You are never too old to seek God and seek God’s will.

I think of Daniel who in his old age received yet another vision. He struggled in prayer until he was exhausted and still did not receive an answer.

c. Expect God to do something great.

As a younger person, sometimes my greatest disappointment is when I see people who are older and wiser than I see the world as worst off than it was. True, it probably is but people in my generation and younger need to see your faith rise to the occasion. We need to see you expect God to great things.

We need to see your faith in God grow.

We need to see your trust in us grow.

We need to see your hopes of a better future grow.

We need to see you expect God to great things.

Conclusion: Thank you for giving to the Lord.

Thank you for giving your self for others. Thank you for living your life for God’s purposes. Thank you for taking time out for young people like me who were trying to find their way in life. Thank you for allowing young preachers like me to learn on the job. Thank you for passing the reigns of leadership on to newer people and trusting God for the increase.

Thank you for being a godly grandparent. Truly, may all come behind you find you faithful. May the fire of your devotion light our way.