One of the Greatest Resources: Older People
We that are in the Pro-Life movement believe in the sanctity of human life. We believe that God creates life and God ends life.
Our concern is with life and death. Moses reminds us in the old testament: ”See, I have set before you today life and prosperity, and death and adversity…so choose life in order that you may live, you and your descendants” (Deut. 30:15,19b).
Franklin E. Payne, Jr. M.D. author of the book, “Making Biblical Decisions” states, The dominant worldview within the modern medicine ignores God and is even anti-God. As such, it is death-oriented. Therefore, its fruits have become, in particular instances, the intended death of patients (e.g. abortion and euthanasia). To ignore and despise God will inevitably cause death in one of its forms.
Today, there seems to be an increasing number of instances in which individuals and cultures propose and practice the death of other human beings as a solution to their problems. Such a solution is the clearest illustration of the result of a worldview that is not ethically oriented to God’s revelation.
The Sixth commandment stands as a bulwark against “these solutions.” God has not intended killing others as a solution. He has given us all the biblical means with which to solve problems in every area without this option.
One of the greatest resources in our nation is older people: retirees. Many of them have the time to serve God in our churches and on the mission field. They can be a great blessing and inspiration to the younger generations. They have lived a life of godly living and serving Christ for a long time. They can be a great asset to the younger believers by teaching them God’s Word and living the Christian life before them.
Yet there has been a dangerous trend of getting rid of old people. We have seen it in our nursing homes and sadly in our VA hospitals. It is heart breaking for these veterans, who have sacrificed and served our country to be denied care and left to die.
Our older people deserve to be taken care of, not neglected. My mom lived independently most of her retirement years. She has recently passed away at the age of 94. My wife and I have been taking care of her father, who is 79.
God is the author of life, Jesus tells us in John 10:10 “The thief cometh not, but to steal, and to kill, and destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.”
Devotional written by:
Pastor Ray Anderson
Secretary BFLW