Being Fruitful In Old Age

by Dorothy Teague

My mother gets up every morning with a smile on her face, a list of “to-dos” in her pocket, and joy in her heart. She works in her yard, drives to local places, and goes to church every Sunday, where she tithes out of the meager Social Security check she receives monthly. As far back as I can remember, she (and my father) took me and my sisters to church every Sunday, having cooked Sunday dinner for the whole family early in the

morning. When someone dies or is sick, she prepares food to take to them. When asked for advice, she goes to God’s word. My mom is the best example of a godly woman that I have ever witnessed. The love of Christ shines out from her no matter where she is. She is 94 and hasn’t even entertained the thought that there is a place for her to stop being useful in God’s Kingdom. Psalm 92:14 says, “They will still bear fruit in old age; They shall be full of sap and very green.” “What fruit?” you may ask. Galatians 5:22-23 says that “the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, and long

suffering.” These are the attributes we, as Christians, should be seeking to nurture and grow in our lives. Growing old is hard, as we look in the mirror at graying hair and wrinkles on our faces. Extra weight is harder to lose, and our bodies don’t work as they did in younger days. Ironically, as the body decays with age, our spirit grows stronger as it is renewed daily (2 Corinthians 4:16). God’s grace is abundant and is there for the asking to keep us going and doing His work. We can become ripe with wisdom from our years walking with God and benefit others with our wealth of experience. If we are pliable, like a lump of clay on the potter’s wheel, and obedient to His will, then He can use us to further His kingdom, to be witnesses for Him, and to tell others of His love and mercy. Even though we may get physically tired, God will renew our strength (Isaiah 40:31). While today’s society may want to cast away the aged and spread the lie that the older generation is no longer of use, God’s word has a dramatically different viewpoint. In John 15:16, Jesus says, “You did not choose me, but I chose and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit, fruit that will last,” and He didn’t put an age limit on that. We, as Christians, are to be God’s “fruit-bearers” until we breathe our last breath on this earth. God’s word assures us that “He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus” (Philippians 1:6).