The Little Boy and the Old Man
Said the little boy, “Sometimes I drop my spoon.”
Said the old man, “I do that too.”
The little boy whispered, “I wet my pants.”
I do that too,” laughed the little old man.
Said the little boy, “I often cry.”
The old man nodded, “So do I.”
But worst of all,” said the boy, “it seems
Grown-ups don’t pay attention to me.”
And he felt the warmth of a wrinkled old hand.
I know what you mean,” said the little old man.”
― Shel Silverstein
The way we respond to the elderly says something about our relationship with God. As followers of our Lord, we should never be guilty of the kind of negligence the story speaks of.
Leviticus 19:32
‘You shall rise before the gray headed and honor the presence of an old man, and fear your God: I am the Lord.”
Job 12:12
Wisdom is with aged men,
And with length of days, understanding.
1 Timothy 5:1-2
Do not rebuke an older man, but exhort him as a father, younger men as brothers, older women as mothers, younger women as sisters, with all purity.
I recall when youths started treating me differently – like calling me honey at the checkout counter. Give it some thought.
Gary