« Back to Issue 45

A Late Harvest

By Andrew Bollingbroke.

Introduction

When I left pastoral ministry in 1988, I began applying for a number of jobs. As I scanned the adverts, I noticed that many of them were looking for company directors in their 20’s. At 37, I was well over the hill and on my way down the other side. It was my first and painful brush with the scourge of ageism - rejection because you’re too old!

We live in a world where ageism rules. We now have laws to protect people from racism and sexism, and at last there is some, but not enough, protection from being ignored, abused, rejected and passed over because you’re considered too old. To become unemployed in your late 40’s or 50’s can mean the remainder of your so-called working years on the dole. When redundancies are required at work, it is often the older members of staff who are first to be shown the door. In many professions, you are expected to achieve the pinnacle of your career progress by age 40 - after that, the only way is down.

In the church, things are painfully similar. I remember a long correspondence in one denominational newspaper about the difficulty which can be experienced by ministers if they want to change church in their later years of ministry. Among church members, there can often be a feeling of helplessness as they watch younger people (quite properly) taking over the leadership and ignoring the wishes of the older members. Young Christian adults often behave as though no-one over the age of 40 can teach them anything. Older members are regarded as obstacles to change, or problems to be solved or a drain on resources with their need of extra care in their latter years.

And, truly, it ought not to be so! The testimony of Scripture, to which we claim to turn as the final authority on all matters of faith and practice, is that older people are not part of God’s purposes yesterday, but today! Witness Noah, building the ark at the age of nearly 600! Witness Abraham, called to leave his father’s home at the age of 75 and taking up the responsibilities of parenthood at the age of 100. Witness Moses, called to lead Israel out of Egypt at the age of 80.

The command of Scripture is also clear: “Show respect for old people and honour them” says Leviticus 19.32 and, just in case we didn’t get the message, the same verse continues, “Reverently obey me - I am the Lord”.

Nowadays we have a United Nations International Day for Older People. I’m pleased that they talk about ‘older people’, not the elderly. We now draw a distinction between older people (generally regarded as those over 55 years old and still fit and active) and the elderly (usually referring to those over 80 years old who are also suffering from the frailty of old age). I think that when we talk about older people, we are usually talking about those who not only still have ministries in the church, but that they have ministries which cannot be fulfilled by the young, ministries without which the church is seriously impoverished.

Let me turn you to Psalm 71. We do not know who wrote this psalm, but it does appear that he was either old or ageing. At any rate, he is concerned about his failing powers. He seems to be ill, and wicked people are taking advantage of his weakness to plot against him. Like many older people, the Psalmist is finding old age to be a real trial after the vigour of younger days, but he is sustained in his troubles by three great strengths.

1. His experience of God

The psalmist has an experience of walking with God which is both long, wide and deep. He has trusted in God since he was young (v.5); he has relied on God all his life (v.6); he has experienced God’s protection since the day of his birth (v.6); his life is an example to all because others know his story (v.7); so he knows that God is faithful (v.22).

This rich experience of God is something younger people by definition cannot have, simply because they have neither lived long enough nor suffered as much as an older person: the younger you are, the less opportunity there has been for God to prove his faithfulness in your life. And just in case you think your experience of God is amazing, the message of this psalmist is that you ain’t seen nothing yet. The older members of any church have walked with God many years and have proved God in more ways than the youngsters can imagine.

That long experience also means that it is long and deep. Sadly, we live in an age of instant gratification. A current advertising slogan says, “Whatever you want, you got it”! So the temptation for many Christians, when problems arise, is to demand instant answers, even if there are none. Yet older Christians have walked with God through fire and water. They’ve experienced the highs and lows of Christian experience. They’ve discovered God in pain as you have in joy. So the right thing is for younger Christians to turn to their older brothers and sisters for encouragement, to begin to understand that our God takes us through fire and water to refine and purify us for his purposes. Their experience of God is not less than that of the young. Rather it is more. They deserve our respect and honour for that.

The other side of that is that there are many with that experience, yet who have watched younger people going through what they went through without realising that they had the ointment to soothe their pain, through sharing their experience with them. Perhaps they did not think they had anything worthwhile to share, that they would not know what to say. But maybe they didn’t need to say anything. Perhaps a greetings card. a verse of Scripture, a brief quiet visit and a prayer could have brought peace in a storm of emotions, warmth in the chill of the dark night of the soul.

As we shall see in a moment, the Psalmist wanted to go on living so that he could declare God’s power and might to the generations to come. Let the older people be encouraged to share their richness and fullness with those who are younger, and let those who are younger look to the experience of the old in times of stress, strain and trouble. Whatever the young are going through, the old have seen it before and they’ve met God there.

2. His appetite for praise (vv.6, 8, 16, 22-23)

Even in old age, the psalmist still has an appetite for praise. Indeed, his praise in this psalm is exuberant! He promises to praise God always (v.6), to praise all day long and to proclaim God’s glory(v.8); he wants to increase the intensity of his praise (v.14); to praise God’s power and goodness (v.16); to praise God with his harp, with singing; in fact. he’s going to shout for joy to his God (v.22-23)! This is exuberant stuff.

If this psalm is anything to go by, exuberant, noisy, embarrassing praise behaviour is not limited to the young. Dancing in the aisles or on the pews may be a little more difficult for purely physical reasons than it might have been a few years ago, but there is no reason whatsoever why older people should not let their hair down if they wish. I, for one, rejoice to see my seniors behaving like children - after all, didn’t Jesus say that we can only enter the kingdom by becoming like little children?

And the fact that you’ve never done it before is a poor argument. In fact, I would suggest that, if you’ve never let your hair down in God’s presence, it’s about time you started, because, if the book of Revelation is anything to judge by, there will be few inhibitions in heaven!

Having said that, I understand full well that this is difficult for some, that it even seems wrong to worship God in this way. I understand that, but I would urge readers to return to the Scriptures. I do not believe that one has to be silent to be reverent, although there will be times when it is exactly the correct thing to do. But nor do I believe that one has to be noisy to be joyful, because, in the end, God is not that interested in what comes out of our mouths, but what is going on in our hearts. Do we share the Psalmist’s appetite for praise? Musical and spoken praise are simply tools to express what goes on in our hearts - an outward and audible sign of an inward and spiritual grace, if you like!

Do we have a heart for praise? Are we hungry to praise God, whether young or old, or do we just like singing? Are we focussed on the object of praise or are we too busy concentrating on the tools, getting hung up on whether we worship with modem or traditional songs? I make no judgement here - I love traditional songs and liturgies as much as I love modem ones. I just pray that when I become old, I will still have the appetite for praise which God has given me now.

3. His ministry to others (v.18. 22-24)

The psalmist had discovered that there is no such thing as retirement from the Lord’s service. Even in old age, there was work to be done. One part of that work was to pass on the stories of God’s power and might to the next generation (v.18). Even though he was old, he was not prepared to leave it to others to teach the faith to the young people. This ageing brother still had a youth ministry even though he was old and perhaps frail.

Now here’s a challenge to all youth leaders and Sunday School teachers. When was the last time you invited an older member of the church to come and give their testimony to the young people?

And here’s a challenge to all older people who might get invited. Be prepared to say Yes! Those children and young people need to hear your story of God’s faithfulness to you throughout your life. The youth leaders can’t do that with even a fraction of the authenticity you can!

The psalmist also had a music ministry (v.22)! Arthritis clearly wasn’t his problem, because he could still praise God on the harp or lyre.

He had a teaching ministry, as we already saw in v.18. He had a preaching ministry (v.24)! He had a praise ministry (v.23)! He had a leadership ministry. I know that because wicked men would not have been trying to kill him had he not been in some kind of enviable position, probably leadership in the nation.

I admit I’m becoming a little fanciful, but with the intention of making a serious point. Just because he was old and perhaps frail did not mean that he had no ministry. On the contraty, he was still LOOKING for ministry! True, he could no longer give what he had given in the full vigour of youth, but he could still give of himself.

Once again, a challenge to young and old. To those who are young I say, do not despise the gifts and experience of the old. They have a vital ministry to play in the church. I know a church where the oldest members are in their fifties. And do you know what? They have realised how impoverished they are without older, more experienced Christians. So let us not despise or demean the ministries which the old can offer.

And to those who are old, in the world’s eyes anyway, do not rest on your laurels. Do not allow us to be deprived of your ministry by feeling that your task is completed. That will not be true until you are gone from this world into the nearer presence of Jesus. However old you are, there is still more for you to do than simply make up the numbers on a Sunday. True, you may have to pace yourselves carefully - we all have to do that! But the younger ones need you to share your experience with them, to share your gifts with them, to free them for other ministries. Even housebound, you can still pray, and, if my pastoral experience is anything to judge by, it is often the physically weak and helpless who provide much of the physical strength of the church through their prayers.

Let me end by saying to those who are my elders in the faith that I honour you in the Lord. You have an honoured place. I plead with you not to allow the world’s attitude to age to shape your thinking and deprive you of that honour. Make your calling and election sure. Live up to all that Christ has called you to, for as long as he allows us the privilege of your company and ministry here on earth.