Croutons. I just pulled two pans of these freshly made
bites of deliciousness from my oven. Dating
back to medieval times, the crouton is most commonly found in little cubes but
can also be enjoyed in a variety of sizes and shapes. Though you can just pop them in your mouth
and crunch them by themselves, they’re especially wonderful when they accentuate
a plate of salad or spice up a bowl of soup.
Okay, by now you’re
wondering if the Hospital Church blog has reinvented itself as a cooking
forum. Whether you view that as a
positive move or not, such is not the case.
There’s actually a wonderful
life lesson in croutons. It’s in the
bread. You see, you don’t make croutons
with fresh bread – it needs to be old bread, hard bread, stale bread. Though some may be tempted to throw it away,
when the bread is past its prime, it’s not past its usefulness – as a matter of
fact, it’s exactly what is needed.
I think it’s unfortunate
that sometimes our more senior generation is viewed like bread left on the
counter too many days. It’s just as
unfortunate when they view themselves the same way – when they lose sight of
their value, their usefulness, and the work God still has for them to do. Scripture is filled with counsel to not miss
what this generation has to offer:
"Rise in the presence
of the aged, show respect for the elderly and revere your God. I am the
LORD." (Lev. 19:32)
“Is not wisdom found among
the aged? Does not long life bring understanding?” (Job 12:12)
“Do not cast me away when I
am old; do not forsake me when my strength is gone.” (Psalm 71:9)
"Gray hair is a crown
of splendor; it is attained by a righteous life." (Prov. 16:31)
“Listen to your father, who
gave you life, and don’t despise your mother when she is old.” (Proverbs 23:22)
In Messy Church, Ross Parsley compares the church to the family dinner
table – a place where each generation is valued for what they bring to the
table.
We must have both heritage and innovation. We need to know our history as well as the
mystery of the work of the Holy Spirit among us now.
Just as we don’t want to send the kids away to the
kids’ table for our own benefit, we do not want to send our grandparents away
to the nursing home. We want them at the
table, sharing stories, listening to ours, and giving us wisdom and guidance .
. .
Our churches need to be full of Abrahams, Isaacs, and
Jacobs as well!
We need grandpas and grandmas, middle-aged moms and
dads, young professionals, teenagers, and kids, to be truly healthy as a
family.
We were made for community. We were made to need each other.
Age should never be an
excuse to exclude, and it should never be used as an excuse to sit on the
sidelines. I like the way Craig
Groeschel said it at a recent leadership conference: “If you’re not dead, you’re not done.” It may just be time to make some
croutons.
Tami Cinquemani
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