Grandparent's Day

September 8th is "Grandparents' Day" according to the flower and gift industry. Certainly grandparents are worthy of a bouquet or an outing at the Golden Corral, but if we really want to please them, how about some things that would truly make a difference in their lives?

Staying in touch and visiting on a regular basis would be nice. Cards and flowers on one day without an on-going presence only heightens our absence and recalls our neglect throughout the rest of the year.

Raising our own children would definitely be helpful. A growing phenomenon in our society is grandparents raising their children's children because the parents have split, or refuse to take on this responsibility themselves. Paul says that,"…if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith" (I Timothy 5:8). This "providing" includes the care and training of children by the parents, not the grandparents. Grandparents can help, can encourage, but the emotional as well as physical responsibilities remain with the parents unless there are truly impossible circumstances.

I suppose that what grandparents, especially Christian grandparents, want most is that their children and grandchildren love the Lord themselves. The best gift grandparents can receive is the knowledge that the generations that come after them will also follow them into heaven as faithful Christians.

So, buy them the flowers and reserve a table at the cafeteria, but to make them really happy, why not have all three generations sit together at worship this Sunday and celebrate the chain of faith that binds you together in Christian love?