The God intended joy of generations

Posted on June 4, 2015 Updated on October 30, 2017

Grandchildren are the crown of the aged, and the glory of children is their fathers. (Proverbs 17:6)

When you’re a child, if you’re fortunate to have one, a grand parent hopefully is just someone who clearly loves you and fusses over you and often spoils you saying; “don’t tell your mom!”

I remember being doted over by my one grandmother in particular, remember big hugs, a sweetie cupboard in the passage, secret visits to the fridge to indulge in some special treat, being taken to the local coffee shop run by the women’s association and having toasted sandwiches (I now realize these were not just culinary but also some form of bragging) sleep overs and board games and how we could do no wrong seemingly once we were near her!

Although I’ve not got there yet and hope to wait some time still before I do, on observation of others around me, simply adding the word “grand” to “parenting” is clearly something unique and special.

As Proverbs says; “Grandchildren are the crown of the aged”

Then, when you become a parent you begin more and more to experience this God-intended joy in both directions.

You love your children, they’re yours and you love them the most. Sometimes it feels like your heart is not big enough for the love that resides inside for them! In fact you might well have even said that to those “grand parents” who sometimes in their zeal act as though they love these little people more than anyone…

And yet as grow older you also begin to see things, appreciate things about your own parents that are just clearer with age. It’s like the lens suddenly starts to come into focus as you mature you begin to see your parents with new clarity and hopefully you appreciate what you see. These are people God established a relationship with for you, people who loved you, cared, sacrificed, provided, struggled through life’s challenges…

And as you see them and what they’ve done or struggled through more clearly as you can empathize with them as you too are parenting – I’ve found that my love and appreciation of them grows and deepens, and as Proverbs says; “the glory of children is their fathers.” (Proverbs 17:6)

Thanks you Father for the God-intended joy of generations! Yes there are many for whom this joy has been spoiled or robbed by sin and death due to the curse of sin, but so to are there many who can still celebrate and thank God for what part of this joy they have experienced.

http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=12920829

This clip about a grand father, father & son provoked me last week to appreciate my own dad who just turned 70 and for whom I can honestly say; “Grandchildren are the crown of the aged, and the glory of children is their fathers.” – thanks Dad and Mom for being this verse for Andre, Lauren, Nicholas and myself and to all our many children! We are blessed, thank you Father God for the God intended joy of generations!