Through
Wes Wick
The recent sixty-year anniversary of President Kennedy’s untimely death reminds us of his famous “Ask not what your country can do for you” speech.
Our audience is a tad smaller, but if we could craft a similar speech for older-adult leaders, it would read:
Ask not only what you can do for and with older adults, but also ask what God might do THROUGH them.
What we do for older adults, especially the frail, is significant. What we do with them is also vital as we respond to their need for fellowship and socialization.
But, as you may know by now, a huge emphasis of YES! and a reason for founding this ministry 16 years ago is that often missing element: What does God want to do THROUGH these adults in life’s second half?
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Let’s look for the purposes God has in mind for older adults in our sphere of influence. Starting here can also help shape what we do for and with them.
What a blessing when God’s later-life purposes come into focus! Yes, some adults are extremely needy, and their serving capacity has been severely squeezed. But even as options diminish, let’s be mindful of ways they can still make a difference in the lives of others.
We may sometimes struggle with the presumption of fruitfulness in the lives of older adults, but let’s start with that presumption and see where God takes them and us.
As we get older, we want to be with those adopting this “God is not finished with us yet” mindset. A lot of good still to come!