(The following is the September 30 devotional from my Next Step Devotions book. Before reading it, I suggest you read 1 Timothy 5 and pay close attention to verses 1-2.)
Opportunities for interaction between people of different ages vary as cultural norms change. For example, families with three generations living in the same home used to be more common than it is today. This separation and limited interaction between generations can negatively impact how young and old relate to each other.
If there is a public place where everyone should treat others with love and respect, regardless of age, it is the church. Paul advised the young adult Timothy: “Don’t rebuke an older man, but exhort him as a father, younger men as brothers, older women as mothers, and the younger women as sisters with all purity” (vv. 1-2). Paul’s advice reflected Timothy’s young age compared to others in the church. If Timothy had been older, Paul might have said, “Don’t rebuke a younger man, but exhort him as a son, older men as brothers, younger women as daughters, and the older women as sisters with all purity.”
In the church, we have much to learn from people of all ages. Doing so requires that we respect and listen to them, love them as Christian brothers and sisters, encourage them in the faith, and acknowledge the presence and work of Christ in them. We must resist stereotyping and speaking negatively of any generation, no matter our differences in preferences, priorities, or perspectives.
Our fallen world is often harsh and unloving to groups and individuals due to age and other reasons. The church must be distinctly different and loving to all in contrast to the world. God’s children from all generations throughout history will eventually live together for eternity, so it’s wise to learn to deal positively with age differences on this side of Heaven.
Next Step:
Have you been treated poorly because of your age? Have you likewise mistreated others? How can you prevent or correct such mistakes?
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