Going, Going

Gone! But when is the right time to recycle our old stuff? We do it all the time. We decide when something has reached the end of its useful life, and replace it with something new, and better, and younger. Things like our soft furniture gets a bit soft and saggy, so we trip off to the furniture store and get a new suite which makes us feel better, and fits in with the rest of the colours in our home. Meanwhile, the suite which has been part of your life, and is not ‘broken’ is put out for collection to be skipped. Then there is the TV. Recently, the UK has been rolling out the digital media, and many people have been eyeing the box in the corner, looking for an excuse to replace it with a newer, more modern set. The old one would still give service when used with a digital set top box, but we decide to recycle it instead. Off it goes to the skip to join our suite.

We can add other big ticket items to the list, like the family car. There’s another thing which has given good service in running the family around safely, but well, it is getting older, and there are other newer models on the market. So, the old car is recycled through the garage, to allow us to get a better car. What about that old mobile phone, the dated computer, sagging bed, or the noisy vacuum cleaner? There are other examples which could be added to the list.

What is the common factor which links all the things which get recycled? The answer is that they soon become forgotten. They are gone now, and have been replaced by something else, so they do not bother our thinking any more. The old saying “Out of sight, out of mind” comes into my head. So what’s your point, I can hear you ask? Just this: What do we do with those older people (yes people) who played a part in our early lives, and made such a difference that they were instrumental in changing our direction? Let me be specific, to our Christian faith, and spiritual life? There comes a time when they can’t be at church anymore, so they are out of sight. It is only a short step for them to be out of mind too. Then they are forgotten, replaced by other, younger workers in the church who have some value now. They are treated like the old sofa or TV. Not completely useless, but over time, they have been slowly going, going, and now are gone and forgotten.

Make no mistake, you and I will end the same way. We are usually only as good as our last active service, and nothing more. So, when infirmity or age strikes, and we get slower, we will be recycled. Such is the process of replacement. Of course, the old sofa and TV in question are still useful, but not to us. Right? Wrong! So very wrong!! As our young folks might say, “Go figure”! I will leave you with these words from Zechariah 8:4,5 “Thus says the Lord of hosts: Old men and old women shall again sit in the streets of Jerusalem, each one with his staff in his hand because of great age. The streets of the city shall be full of boys and girls playing in its streets.”