Grandparents are special. I remember all four of my grandparents. I loved them and loves spending time with them.
Now that I am a grandparent, I love being one better than having one. But it is all good.
The Bible has a lot to say about being a grandparents and getting old. Biblical instructions encourages us to honor the older generation.
What are some important Bible verses for grandparents?
Grandparents Leave a Godly Heritage.
Recalling your tears, I long to see you, so that I may be filled with joy. I am reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also. (2 Timothy 1:4-5)
This verse is used for mothers but it is of equal value to grandmothers. I can assume that Timothy’s mother learned her godly roots from her own mother Lois, Timothy’s grandmother. Grandparents can leave a heritage of genuine faith. These lessons run deep throughout their life. That makes grandparents a rich, valuable resource for the future, just as it did Timothy.
Snow on the Roof, Fire in the Cabin.
They will still bear fruit in old age, they will stay fresh and green, proclaiming, The Lord is upright; he is my Rock, and there is no wickedness in him. (Psalm 92:14-15)
As we get older, grandparents do get slower. There is nothing wrong with slow because steady but slow wins the race. As grandparents age, there needs to be patience. Patience with self and parents and grandchildren. And the parents and grandchildren should be more patient with them and allow grandparents time to speak because they hold much wisdom with years of experience that nothing but time can teach. You cannot teach experience but we can sit and learn so much. Grandparents may be old but older is not any less than the best.
God is with us even to Old Age.
Even to your old age and gray hairs I am he, I am he who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you. (Isaiah 46:4)
God’s love is not diminished by time and our value to Him is not lessened by age or the accumulation of years. What a tender, loving God that, unlike many of the children of their grandparents, will not abandon them in their old age nor will He ever forsake them (Heb 13:5). What a great and precious promise by He Who is without age. Indeed, “Gray hair is a crown of glory; it is gained in a righteous life” (Prov 16:31) and their “Grandchildren are the crown of the aged, and the glory of children is their fathers” (Prov 17:6).
Old age with vigor and vitality.
Moses was a hundred and twenty years old when he died, yet his eyes were not weak nor his strength gone. The Israelites grieved for Moses in the plains of Moab thirty days, until the time of weeping and mourning was over. (Deuteronomy 34:7-8)
What does this say about the older generation? It says that just because someone is older does not mean that their usefulness is any less than that of a young man or woman. In many ways, they are more useful. At 120 years Moses’ vision was not dimmed, nor was his energy and strength less than the day he led Israel out of Egypt at age 80. Grandparents have only a diminished capacity to do what they could do in their youth. As the years pile up, so does the wisdom from their many years of experience. Most people I know have fond memories of their grandparents doing things most thought they were too old to do. These are memories that their grandchildren take with them. These experiences mold them and shape them in meaningful ways that cannot be fully comprehended.
Grandparents Leave a Spiritual Inheritance.
A good person leaves an inheritance for their children’s children, but a sinner’s wealth is stored up for the righteous. (Proverbs 13:22)
The inheritance to family is not simply wealth. There is a spiritual inheritance that lasts well beyond any money that remains after death. Money comes and goes but influence remains. The most precious things we can store up for ourselves are not to be deposited here on earth but in heaven (Matt 6:19-21) because money will perish but those who trust in the Lord shall abide forever.
The most precious thing that grandparents can leave their grandchildren is salvation. When a grandparent spends his/her last day on earth, the greatest comfort will be that is that they will see their own children grandchildren in heaven someday. What is a more precious promise and gift than sharing the good news of the gospel?
Some practical things grandparents can do:
- Teach grandchildren about God and godly things:
- Guide grandchildren towards good marriages by modeling a good one.
- Play with grandchildren.
- Tell them grandchildren love them often.
- Look for good things in grandchildren, not just the bad.
- Point grandchildren to heaven as your time on earth is likely shorter than theirs. Let them know how family can all live together forever.
Some things grandparents should never do:
- Dishonor the grandchildren’s parents.
- Change the rules.
- Take the authority of the parents away from your grandchildren.
- Never correct a parent in front of your grandchildren.
- Don’t take sides in a marital dispute.
- Don’t do what you don’t want them to do.
You can read some of my other articles about grandparents: 8 Things Grandparents Can Do, The Privilege of Grandparents, 5 Things My Papaw Taught Me.