The elderly deserve respect in the Christian Community.

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“Silver hair is a beautiful crown found in a righteous life.”
Proverbs 16:31 God’s Word to the Nations

Fountain Creek Regional Park, Fountain Colorado

Why do we see the elderly as expendable in America? We wouldn’t think of cutting down this old Cottonwood tree but our culture seriously considers euthanasia of the elderly. Some would say that if you’ve outlived your usefulness then it is your duty to die and stop using up the resources that could be better used by “productive” people.

That’s a bunch of crock!

Why is it okay to save the old growth timber, but not the elderly in our society? In his book, Life Together, Dietrich Bonhoeffer wrote, “The exclusion of the weak and insignificant, the seemingly useless people, from a Christian community may actually mean the exclusion of Christ; in the poor brother Christ is knocking at the door.”

Remove this tree from Fountain Creek Regional Park and the park is less. Remove the elderly (and the weak) from our churches and we are the less, and quite possibly removing Christ from our midst.

Seek out an elderly person at your church this week. Don’t thank him or her for being old, but treat them with dignity and respect. Stand in awe of these brothers and sisters in Christ as you would this Cottonwood tree.

Why?  Because in Christ, “silver hair is a beautify crown.”

Copyright Douglas P Brauner