Think about all of the wisdom collected by these individuals over time. Think about all of the treasures of Scripture that they have heard and learned throughout the years. Think about the mistakes and the sinful struggles that these people have wrestled with, and how that can be an asset as they encourage the next generation to avoid these mistakes.
Have you ever wondered about what the Bible says about grandparents? We hear a lot of Scripture verses that mention parenting and focus on the roles of fathers and mothers. However, there is also plenty in Scripture that can inform us about the unique calling of being a grandparent and what God says about it. Today we are going to see what we can learn from grandparents in the Bible.
The Value of Grandparents
Wayne Rice from Focus on the Family shares about his time as a youth ministry worker, where he studied who the most spiritually influential people were in young people’s lives. He shares, “Researchers found that parents and grandparents, not youth workers, were at the top of the list.”
In pondering this research from Wayne Rice, it causes us to think about the value that grandparents have in their grandchildren's lives. Think about all of the wisdom collected by these individuals over time. Think about all of the treasures of Scripture that they have heard and learned throughout the years. Think about the mistakes and the sinful struggles that these people have wrestled with, and how that can be an asset as they encourage the next generation to avoid these mistakes. God is very clear that He believes there is a voice and a purpose for grandparents.
Also, stand-in grandparents hold great worth. Perhaps you are someone who doesn't have biological grandchildren, but you are stepping into young people’s lives as a voice of wisdom and encouragement to them. These are valuable opportunities that the Lord would have this generation pass on to the next.
Deuteronomy 4:9 - “Only be on your guard and diligently watch yourselves, so that you don’t forget the things your eyes have seen and so that they don’t slip from your mind as long as you live. Teach them to your children and your grandchildren.”
This verse in Deuteronomy reminds us that the things we have seen and the memories that we carry hold great worth when God can use our personal stories and testimonies in the lives of young people. As directed by the power of His Holy Spirit, they can impact those who come after us.
Grandparents in the Bible
The Biblical Jewish culture valued family in a beautiful way that we can often miss in our cultures today.
Lois is a grandmother who is spoken very highly of in Scripture. She is the grandmother of Timothy. 1 Timothy 1:5 says, “I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, dwells in you as well.” Lois helped shape young Timothy’s life and was influential in his ministry. We do not have many more details about Lois, however when we look at the life and character of Timothy, we know that his mom and grandmother had a profound influence and impact over who he became. Maybe you were one of those unsung heroes in the life of a grandchild. You may not see the fruit of what you are investing in them now, but the Lord sees you in all the behind-the-scenes moments and in the mundane, and He is working in that child’s life.
Think about the impact of Methuselah. He lived for 969 years, and during all of that time he was able to minister through his family line for many years. Thinking about this might just overwhelm and exhaust you, wondering what it would have been like for Methuselah to have that much time for his children and grandchildren. But this was a calling for him, and he was able to be there for those who came after him. In fact, it was through his family line that Noah, his grandson, would build the ark and be a part of a redemptive time in the history of humanity in the midst of a fallen world. Through Noah, God was able to fulfill His covenant and continue His promise to one day send a redeemer for his people. Methuselah's investment not only impacted his direct family line, but the lives of believers like you and me today. Being a grandparent is a powerful gift that the Lord can use if we surrender to His call.
Ruth 4:21-22 says, “Salmon fathered Boaz, Boaz fathered Obed, Obed fathered Jesse, and Jesse fathered David.” Boaz is another unsung hero who was a grandfather. He was the father of Obed and grandfather of David who became the king of Israel. Boaz married Ruth; he was the kinsman redeemer. Think about the type of family line that David grew up in. This would have been a unique situation considering his race and family dynamics. David’s grandfather modeled such kindness, mercy, and faithful character to marry Ruth in the first place, even giving up his own family name.
The Bible says that David was a man after God’s own heart (Acts 13:22). In order for a young boy to have a heart for God, someone had to show him the love of God. It causes us to think about the impact Boaz must have had through parenting Obed and grandparenting David.
Helping to Break Generational Sins
The concept of generational sin is seen throughout the Bible, however through the power of Jesus these can be broken in any generation. Romans 5:19 says, “Many people were made sinners because one man did not obey. But one man did obey. That is why many people will be made right with God.”
With this in mind, we have the power to share our testimonies and encourage grandchildren to turn away from the things that they might be more genetically predisposed towards. There is definitely evidence of genuine struggles that are passed through generations which can be fixed, or at least lessened, by decisions that are made.
Grandparents can impart Biblical truths and experience from these situations to their grandchildren, helping them to either avoid or find freedom in these areas.
Grandparents matter. This is a mission. This is a calling. Glory to God in all generations.
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