OPINION:
Many years ago, a colleague of mine was making a phone call here at Focus on the Family. When an old woman answered, he quickly realized he had misdialed.
“Please forgive me, ma’am,” he said. “I called the wrong number.”
“No,” the woman replied. “Please don’t hang up. I’m very old and I live alone. I rarely talk with anyone. Will you talk with me?”
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Both my friend, Jim, and that old woman are now gone – but their memory comes to mind this week. That’s because National Senior Citizens Day is Wednesday, a day set aside to honor the value of our elders, as well as acknowledge the many contributions our older population makes on an ongoing basis.
It’s true there are many “seasoned citizens” living alone like Jim’s new friend, disconnected by difficult circumstances or downright neglect. On the other hand, there are countless other seniors who are living active and productive lives. Jean and I know some who are raising their grandchildren. Many others are pouring their gifts and talents into traditional office work, ministry, and numerous volunteer organizations. We have hundreds of seniors who have volunteered here at Focus on the Family.
Every “senior” is unique, but they all have a few things in common, most especially their inherent worth and dignity.
One of the guiding philosophies at Focus on the Family that’s woven into the very fabric of our organization is the sanctity of human life.
In part, our statement of faith in this area reads: “We believe that human life is created by God in His image. It is of inestimable worth and significance in all its dimensions … from the single cell stage of development to natural death.”
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By and large, Christians do well in recognizing the value of the preborn. But I believe we too easily forget about the precious souls who live at the other end of life’s spectrum.
One reason I think society ignores the elderly is to avoid confronting its own mortality. After all, just look at the message we’re fed every day by media, advertisers, and the entertainment industry:
“Be young and stay young.” The goal is to journey as far as we can without looking like we’ve traveled all those miles.
Another problem is our self-centered culture devotes time to people who we feel can offer us something in return. And the elderly may have little to contribute. Or so many think. The truth is there’s a richness to their lives that isn’t always apparent on the surface.
We can’t know the stories behind those faces – what kind of life they’ve led for 70, 80, 90 years, or what pain or regrets they have – unless we talk to them. They need someone to see past the feebleness in their bodies and their minds and to connect with the person they are inside.
It’s an opportunity for ministry that is often overlooked.
When you visit a nursing home or a skilled-care facility, you’re seeing people who are at their very last stop in life. They’re not going home. They’re going to pass into the next world from the confines of a tiny room in which they live surrounded by the meager remnants of a lifetime of belongings and memories. They’ve lost their homes, their friends, their health, and, in many cases, their families.
Statistics show that roughly 85% of the residents in skilled-care or nursing homes have no regular visitors, and about 50% of those in skilled-care homes have no family members left. The need for people who are willing to reach out is great.
Maybe it’s something God is asking you to do. Traveling halfway across the world for a mission trip can be meaningful, but so can a drive across town to a nursing home. It’s a field that’s ripe for harvest. These precious people may be days, weeks or certainly just a few years away from stepping across the threshold into eternity. And they need to hear the Gospel.
On National Senior Citizens Day or any other day of the year, visiting with the elderly is a ministry that families can do together. You don’t have to be an expert in theology or have a master’s degree in social work. You just have to be able to show love to someone in need. Just go and spend some time with someone who would appreciate your company. Trust me. You won’t regret it.
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Jim Daly is president of Focus on the Family and host of its daily radio broadcast, heard by more than 6 million listeners a week on nearly 2,000 radio stations across the U.S. He also hosts the podcast ReFocus with Jim Daly.
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