Grumpy Grandparents
“You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness,
how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything,
except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.' Matthew 5:13 (NIV)
What have we taught them and how do we look to them now? Grumpy? Old? I hope not, but perhaps the salt has lost its flavor! This is why the prophetic voice is calling us to fast and pray. We are called to do it. We are called to pray for the lost and to fast, for physical strength and to hear from God. We need our saltiness back. We need God to help us. We should refuse to be thrown out with the trash!
This weekend I had the pleasure to spend another weekend with my amazing sons, grandsons and daughter-in-laws. Precious times! I am so blessed. We went out for breakfast Sunday and I witnessed an event at IHOP that caused me to reflect and to be on my knees in repentance and in prayer for my generation. I repented for my generation for what I witnessed, and for the behavior of an elderly couple. Grandparents, they were, in that place, alone. They appeared to be blessed beyond belief in all appearances, yet they were not acting like it. They, like so many others like them, perhaps, need to get their salt and light back in order to be what God has made them to be, an example to the younger generation of what love looks like to their grandsons and granddaughters.
When I notice that my one year old grandson had more manners than these two and acted with more generosity, I recognized my need to pray. As an ambassador of the Lord, I am always reminded that I need to check myself and my privilege at the door in every situation and as a member of the elderly community, like so many of my peers I should never act like a spoiled entitled grumpy Christian. Think of all the potential and the possibilities we have to be salt and light at our age of understanding and to pray that God would return our nation back to Himself by setting godly examples.
What does a grumpy Christian look like? Salt and light? In this case, I don't think so. She looked more bitter and he looked all dried-up. I don't want to be like that. I want to use every opportunity to pour out and be God's love, even during a thirty minute breakfast experience. I could do it if I was walking in the light of the Spirit. When walking in the Spirit into IHOP, which in other spaces stands for a place of continual prayer, I should enter with patience and in love rather with an attitude of ingratitude and a critically judgmental spirit. I could exhibit discipline, instead of shouting at the top of my lungs 'Can I get some service around here'. I could be an encourager rather than an embarrassment.
When walking in the Spirit, I could get the waiter's attention with a friendly smile and gesture to him with love. I could introduce myself as someone he might want to meet and get to know better, and place my order with patience and understanding, rather than demand that the food be cooked to perfection. 'Don't bring it to me burnt and I don't want it raw either.' Everyone knows that much but that's what she said. She may have had to apologize later for it. But I doubt that she was even aware of her sorry demeanor.
When walking in the Spirit, I could place my order as one that is in the business of serving others, with patience and with kindness, rather than demanding special privilege for every item. 'Put everything on one plate' Bring me more of this and less of that. At this point, if I can't speak in love in my humanity, then I am in desperate need of a Holy Spirit intervention, like only Heaven can provide.
You see, our order wasn't perfect either. Mike had to send his water glass back because it had lipstick stains on the rim. That could have ruined my dining experience, but it didn't. The waiter failed to bring my fruit cup with my omelet, and even the cashier needed help to count out the change... I could have, but I did not let those things cause me to lose my witness. Instead, I hope that I was able to use this as just another opportunity to show my grandson, humility and grace. Like Jesus did, I should be about serving, making each opportunity about the foot washing, which brings out the humility in me even more. How can I forget that someone took the time to wash my feet. They took the time, and so should I, so that the next generation might learn to be salt and light as well. I can and I should do better. Jesus suffered so much more!
Oh, if we could just check our privilege at the door when we get old enough to deserve it and get more of the grandparent generation to pray with power and specificity to the Lord like we mean it. We might even begin to 'get some service around here'! A great opportunity to serve Him is everywhere, even in IHOP. Even in the city known for its fountains. Even on a Sunday morning, in a town know for its large number of churches. We have the opportunity to teach those that are in the business of service, how to serve and we have the opportunity to pray for those around us that we may have forgotten. Maybe we have failed to teach them and to give a 'God is good' example to them. How else will they know and see God if it isn't through those that love Him and believe? Do I know Him? Do I really know Him? How much do I believe?
Lord, use us, the grandparents, to be salt and light to the lost. Let us lift up Holy prayers and pray for America. Let us hear from You and see You in every situation. Remove our critical grumpy spirits and replace them with Your Joy and Your Love. Let our prayers be heard. Use us as salt to preserve what You have given us. We pray that hearts are softened and that we as a nation turn away from the things that we are doing that will destroy us! In Jesus' name. Amen.
What have we taught them and how do we look to them now? Grumpy? Old? I hope not, but perhaps the salt has lost its flavor! This is why the prophetic voice is calling us to fast and pray. We are called to do it. We are called to pray for the lost and to fast, for physical strength and to hear from God. We need our saltiness back. We need God to help us. We should refuse to be thrown out with the trash!
This weekend I had the pleasure to spend another weekend with my amazing sons, grandsons and daughter-in-laws. Precious times! I am so blessed. We went out for breakfast Sunday and I witnessed an event at IHOP that caused me to reflect and to be on my knees in repentance and in prayer for my generation. I repented for my generation for what I witnessed, and for the behavior of an elderly couple. Grandparents, they were, in that place, alone. They appeared to be blessed beyond belief in all appearances, yet they were not acting like it. They, like so many others like them, perhaps, need to get their salt and light back in order to be what God has made them to be, an example to the younger generation of what love looks like to their grandsons and granddaughters.
When I notice that my one year old grandson had more manners than these two and acted with more generosity, I recognized my need to pray. As an ambassador of the Lord, I am always reminded that I need to check myself and my privilege at the door in every situation and as a member of the elderly community, like so many of my peers I should never act like a spoiled entitled grumpy Christian. Think of all the potential and the possibilities we have to be salt and light at our age of understanding and to pray that God would return our nation back to Himself by setting godly examples.
What does a grumpy Christian look like? Salt and light? In this case, I don't think so. She looked more bitter and he looked all dried-up. I don't want to be like that. I want to use every opportunity to pour out and be God's love, even during a thirty minute breakfast experience. I could do it if I was walking in the light of the Spirit. When walking in the Spirit into IHOP, which in other spaces stands for a place of continual prayer, I should enter with patience and in love rather with an attitude of ingratitude and a critically judgmental spirit. I could exhibit discipline, instead of shouting at the top of my lungs 'Can I get some service around here'. I could be an encourager rather than an embarrassment.
When walking in the Spirit, I could get the waiter's attention with a friendly smile and gesture to him with love. I could introduce myself as someone he might want to meet and get to know better, and place my order with patience and understanding, rather than demand that the food be cooked to perfection. 'Don't bring it to me burnt and I don't want it raw either.' Everyone knows that much but that's what she said. She may have had to apologize later for it. But I doubt that she was even aware of her sorry demeanor.
When walking in the Spirit, I could place my order as one that is in the business of serving others, with patience and with kindness, rather than demanding special privilege for every item. 'Put everything on one plate' Bring me more of this and less of that. At this point, if I can't speak in love in my humanity, then I am in desperate need of a Holy Spirit intervention, like only Heaven can provide.
You see, our order wasn't perfect either. Mike had to send his water glass back because it had lipstick stains on the rim. That could have ruined my dining experience, but it didn't. The waiter failed to bring my fruit cup with my omelet, and even the cashier needed help to count out the change... I could have, but I did not let those things cause me to lose my witness. Instead, I hope that I was able to use this as just another opportunity to show my grandson, humility and grace. Like Jesus did, I should be about serving, making each opportunity about the foot washing, which brings out the humility in me even more. How can I forget that someone took the time to wash my feet. They took the time, and so should I, so that the next generation might learn to be salt and light as well. I can and I should do better. Jesus suffered so much more!
Oh, if we could just check our privilege at the door when we get old enough to deserve it and get more of the grandparent generation to pray with power and specificity to the Lord like we mean it. We might even begin to 'get some service around here'! A great opportunity to serve Him is everywhere, even in IHOP. Even in the city known for its fountains. Even on a Sunday morning, in a town know for its large number of churches. We have the opportunity to teach those that are in the business of service, how to serve and we have the opportunity to pray for those around us that we may have forgotten. Maybe we have failed to teach them and to give a 'God is good' example to them. How else will they know and see God if it isn't through those that love Him and believe? Do I know Him? Do I really know Him? How much do I believe?
Lord, use us, the grandparents, to be salt and light to the lost. Let us lift up Holy prayers and pray for America. Let us hear from You and see You in every situation. Remove our critical grumpy spirits and replace them with Your Joy and Your Love. Let our prayers be heard. Use us as salt to preserve what You have given us. We pray that hearts are softened and that we as a nation turn away from the things that we are doing that will destroy us! In Jesus' name. Amen.
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