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In Appreciation of Our Elders
"Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honor..." (1
Timothy 5:17). All too often we are inclined to think of the work of our elders
as that of managing the money and of exercising oversight in matters of
doctrine. These matters are extremely important. But oversight of the Lord's
flock (1 Peter 5:2) includes much more than this. And since much of the labor of
our elders is unseen except to those directly involved, it is seldom fully
appreciated.
Much indeed has been written by very knowledgeable brethren about the
responsibilities and work of our elders. But let us look at it from another
perspective. Let us look at it from the perspective of one who has been the
recipient of their love and oversight.
Following my baptism into Christ four years ago, I was closely questioned
by our elders. This was done in privacy, and it was done in love. I was the
widow of a denominational minister. Neither the elders nor the congregation had
known me. The elders were exercising their God-given authority to see that no
false doctrine be spread among the flock. This could not have been an easy task
for them. I was a new babe in Christ. They had no way of knowing that I already
believed in and respected their authority. Suppose I had resented their
questions? Would I have drifted away from the true faith and been lost? Yet
suppose I had come into the fold and then began spreading false doctrine? Would
others have been lost? Think about it!
About a year ago a driver under the influence of alcohol hit the back of
my motor scooter and I was thrown to the pavement. Besides suffering head and
chest injuries and numerous broken bones, my spinal cord was severed, leaving me
permanently paralyzed. The local hospital called our minister. Knowing I had no
family, he called our elders. Within minutes three of our five elders were at
the hospital. Of the other two, one was in a meeting and the other was out of
town. They took care of all the details that ordinarily a family member would
have had to handle.
Following my admission to a major hospital, one of the elders who is
retired was selected to look out for my welfare. At the suggestion of the
elders, I granted him power of attorney so that he could handle my personal
affairs and also the mountain of paperwork involved in a major hospitalization
of long duration. Since neither the driver nor I had adequate insurance, state
and federal assistance was necessary. If one of your immediate family were in
that situation, would you know what to do or where to go? Would YOU willingly
take on that responsibility for another member of our Lord's family? They did!
Have you ever agonized over placing a family member in a nursing home,
wondering what type of facility would be best for that person? Our elders
accepted that responsibility for me. The easier way would have been to place me
in a facility close to home and to have visited me occasionally. But they did
not settle for the easy way. They examined all the options and selected that
which seemed to best fit my needs, even though it was forty-five miles from
home.
Since they were wise enough to select one with an outstanding physical
therapy department, I now look forward to returning to independent living. Yet
even the decisions regarding that return have not been easy ones for our elders.
How do you tell someone who has their heart set on returning to their hometown
that it is not yet in their best interest? How would you handle their
heartbreak? Would you know what to do or what to say? Neither did they. Yet they
handled the situation with love, understanding and patience.
But as important and difficult as looking after my physical well-being
was, they had an even more important and difficult task to handle. They had to
watch for my soul! Suppose I had become bitter and turned away from God? Or
suppose I had become so depressed that I would not respond to therapy? Had I
done so, would I have missed the mark that God had set for me? Would I have been
lost? Think about it!
Our elders are selected according to Scriptural standards. Those standards are high. But our elders are only human. They have only human knowledge. They do make mistakes. Many times they do not know what to do. Yet on their shoulders rests the heaviest responsibility in this world -- the oversight of the flock of God. And possibly most of that oversight is not known except to those directly involved. Let us do as the Scriptures teach us and count our elders who rule well the flock of God worthy of double honor. TELL your elders that you love them! TEll THEM that you appreciate their labor!
Sandra F. Cobble
(http://www.oldpaths.com)
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