Dispelling some age-old myths

It is often held that gospel outreach amongst seniors is easy. It is thought that with age comes a clearer vision of the eternity that waits beyond the grave. But I am not sure aging does have this effect. In today’s world, our care for the elderly may need to extend as never before to people who are materially wealthy but relationally and spiritually impoverished.

I have just finished reading John Chapman’s latest book Making the Most of the Rest of Your Life.  He writes as an older person for older people. As ever, he is hoping his readers will want to come to know the Lord Jesus. I think the book will do that, and I commend it to you.

It made me think on mission. Recently I wrote about the need to transmit the faith to our children. But we also need to transmit the faith to our parents and other older people. Neglecting the seniors is as big an error as neglecting the juniors.

The people now in their 80s have vivid memories of an Australia long since disappeared, but with important consequences for today. I also enjoy listening to older people who have migrated to Australia. But does a more reflective period of one’s life make it easier to come to know God? I am not sure that it does. Even though we may be on the cusp of eternity, it may have the opposite effect. Let me suggest some reasons why.

There are the chains of habit. We become less flexible bodily and mentally as we age; likewise we become less flexible spiritually. Attitudes which have served us well through our lives become hardened. Our characteristic denial of faith has become part of our character.

There is fear. We do not like thinking about death and we mourn both our own decreasing bodily powers and the loss of friends. The idea that eternity begins with judgement is too hard to cope with.

There is materialism. We buy the nonsense that retirement from work on a good income is equivalent to winning a sprint trophy at school. In our ageing bodies we set out to enjoy ourselves to the hilt, believing that we deserve a good break. The God question can only get in the way.

There is sickness. Many people think of sickness as an opportunity to think of God. But sickness may give you no time or energy. Often sickness ‘closes us in’ and we concentrate on coping with a life-threatening force. If you have never cultivated Christian contacts, furthermore, there may be no one to offer spiritual help. Even in hospital, you may feel that it is not right to speak with a chaplain because you have never made an effort to attend church.

There is ignorance. Some people have no real Christian past, and the current generation is going to have less and less. Where do you turn if you do not even know the Lord’s Prayer?

There is sin. We will remain spiritually hardened unless God’s Holy Spirit brings that illumination and regeneration which will make the gospel alive for us. The best gift you can bring is the gospel accompanied by prayer. 

Is this all too depressing? I hope not! God can bring life even to a heart shrivelled by decades of unbelief. The relative of a friend at 96 was infamous as being an awkward, rather nasty person. While still in possession of her mental faculties, she became a Christian – and changed completely into a person of grace.

But as well there may be a providence at work which will see a harvest of seniors. Materialism and secularism have shown up empty. They do not deliver happiness and profound relationships. Amongst the groups to sense this are older people, many of whom had a Christian upbringing. While sickness and fear can protect people from reality, they also can open people to God’s truth. So, too, can loneliness, the awful realisation that no one cares.

Christians can and do care for the elderly and we always have. In today’s world our care may need to extend, as never before, to people who are materially wealthy but relationally and spiritually impoverished. We need to listen to the story of each life, and to help people see its meaning and purpose, no matter how mundane or tragic or enjoyable it has been.

Part of that will be their relationship, or lack of relationship, to God. And then we will need to point them to the Lord Jesus as the one they wish to see in eternity. In all this, prayer: for every person should have someone who prays for them. And the Lord can save even the elderly.

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