Senior Citizens

I’m not sure when it all began, but as far as I can remember I have always enjoyed being around senior citizens who have a zest for life.  I would imagine that the mold was set for me by my maternal grandparents.  While their family history definitely held an important place in their memories and they would tell the occasional story of their childhood or other funny incidents concerning their parents or great grandparents going back to our family’s origins in Italy, my Grandpa and Grandma Coniglio lived very much in the present.  They embraced life!  They stayed up on current events, modern conveniences, financial trends and enjoyed a very active interest in the lives of their family.  One of my favorite things to do when I was young was to spend some time with Grandpa going over the new GM catalog of new cars after he picked it up at a local dealer each September.  I could talk with both of them on almost any subject from movie stars, to gardening, to presidential affairs, baseball or cooking.  These two individuals made an indelible mark upon my life.

When I began dating my wife and attending her church, I came into another whole set of seniors who were modern and in sync not only with life but with Jesus and His move of the Spirit in the seventies and eighties.  I could give you name after name of older individuals and couples who greatly influenced me in the early days of my Christian walk.  After we were married and had left that church after eight years of service as their Youth and Singles ministers we began to attend a small Word of Faith fellowship and met another exciting older couple that we had the pleasure of knowing for many years to come.

This couple was actually from Petaluma, another city about 20- 30 minutes south of our home town.  They were so committed to Jesus and our tiny fellowship that they made that commute well into their 80’s and early 90’s.  Piper and I had the pleasure of spending many wonderful times fellowshipping with them in their home.  We also had the privilege of ministering to them in the hospital at various times and then when they were just about ready to go home to be with the Lord.  (They died within a short time of each other)  These two folks had such a vibrant and exuberant love for the Lord that was very contagious to anyone who came into their presence.  I will never forget the look of Christ’s love that shined from their eyes!

I imagine that the Apostle John had a similar constitution as that couple when he wrote his three letters toward the end of our bibles.  It is widely believed that he was in the final season of his long life when he penned these meaningful discourses to the people he loved.  This was a man who had been jailed, probably beaten a time or two, banished to a lonely piece of rock loosely called an island and also boiled in hot oil, but still loved the Lord and those he came into contact, with a heart that was totally sold out to God.  This was a man that intimately KNEW the love that his heavenly Father had for him and he openly and generously shared it with others.  He was also the only member of the original twelve apostles that died a natural death at a very old and prosperous age!

He said things like, “Real love isn’t our love for God, but his love for us.” (1 John 4:10 CEV)  “We love because God loved us first.” (I John 4:19 God’s Word ©)  “Whoever says, ‘I love God,’ but hates another believer is a liar….” (God’s Word ©)  “The love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.” (KJV) and then he stood in agreement with what James called “The Royal Law of Love” by concluding that most important chapter of his first letter, “Christ has given us this commandment: the person who loves God must also love other believers as well.” (I John 4:21 God’s Word ©)

John was a man that had successfully lived a long and rewarding life that was totally centered or focused on Jesus.  In his introduction to the three epistles of John in the Message Bible, Eugene H. Peterson wrote: “Jesus the Messiah, is the focus: Jesus provides the full and true understanding of God; Jesus shows us the mature working-out of love.  In Jesus, God and love are linked accurately, intricately, and indissolubly.”

John was one of those beloved and well-traveled seniors whose life we should take into account as we live our daily lives!  Love was not only his motto, it was his life.  I think that is how I want to be known… what about you?  Have a great day!  Stay in tune to His Word, and keep asking yourself… “What or Whose LOVE am I expecting to BE and SHARE today?”