Even while I am old and gray, God, do not abandon me, while I proclaim your power to another generation. —Psalm 71:18
Pastor Tom Nelson tells a story about Joy Brown, a woman in his congregation in her seventies.1 She had been an eager student of the Word for years and was a true lover of God.
“But Joy,” the pastor asked her, “are you making disciples?” “Me?” she answered. “I don’t know if I’m ready.”
Pastor Nelson assigned Joy to teach a small group of teenagers. She was scared to death. What would those young people possibly want to hear from an old lady like her? But when she met with them, she drew from her knowledge of the Word and her experience to respond to their questions, planting seeds of biblical wisdom. And she continued teaching until she was well into her nineties—influencing several generations of young women.
As special as this story is, it shouldn’t be unusual. We’re called to take what we’ve learned from God’s Word and pass it on to others. It’s the mandate from Scripture for all of us—no matter our age.
1 Tom Nelson, “The Priesthood of the Believer,” sermon preached at Denton Bible Church, Denton, TX, September 23, 2007
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Adorned: Living Out the Beauty of the Gospel Together
©2017 Nancy DeMoss Wolgemuth
Scripture taken from The CSB
Make it Personal
How is God calling you to make disciples? How can you reach out today to someone younger to encourage and help them?