Grandparents have been given a God-ordained role in the church and home that is not interchangeable with any other members. Yet, many of us know so little about it.
We can discuss to varying degrees the family roles of husband, wife, and father for instance. And we know that the Bible speaks to church roles such as pastor and elder. But the role of grandparent is not one we speak – or even think – much about.
Is the role of grandparent in the Bible?
While the word “grandparent” only appears in the Bible a couple of times (Exodus 10:6 and 2 Timothy 1:5), the Bible has much to say about the role. Throughout, we find terms such as son’s son, children’s children, father’s father, old age, and forefathers which, depending on the context, often refer to “grandparent” and teach us much about the role.
What does the Bible have to say about the role of grandparent?
There’s certainly not room in this post to do an exhaustive search, but let’s look briefly at just a few Scriptures to see what we can discover:
Give ear, O my people, to my teaching;
incline your ears to the words of my mouth!
2 I will open my mouth in a parable;
I will utter dark sayings from of old,
3 things that we have heard and known,
that our fathers have told us.
4 We will not hide them from their children,
but tell to the coming generation
the glorious deeds of the Lord, and his might,
and the wonders that he has done.5 He established a testimony in Jacob
and appointed a law in Israel,
which he commanded our fathers
to teach to their children,
6 that the next generation might know them,
the children yet unborn,
and arise and tell them to their children,
7 so that they should set their hope in God
and not forget the works of God,
but keep his commandments;
8 and that they should not be like their fathers,
a stubborn and rebellious generation,
a generation whose heart was not steadfast,
whose spirit was not faithful to God.Psalm 78:1-8
9 “Only take care, and keep your soul diligently, lest you forget the things that your eyes have seen, and lest they depart from your heart all the days of your life. Make them known to your children and your children’s children—
Deuteronomy 4:9
In a nutshell, a grandparent’s responsibility is to pass on a heritage of faith to future generations.
TIPS for Fulfilling Our Role
Our job is not finished! Contrary to culture’s view that our kids are grown, we’ve done our job, and it’s time to play, it’s actually time to roll up our sleeves and get busy. Busy being intentional about passing on a heritage of faith to our grandchildren.
Where do we begin? We begin by preparing ourselves for the job. Below are five tips for getting started:
-
Ask God what it is that He wants to do and give through you as a grandparent.
2. Spend time in intentional, personal prayer.
No matter how great our desire, we cannot pour out our heart in prayer for our grandchildren if there is nothing in it to be poured. REMEMBER: It is impossible to give what we ourselves do not have.
3. Spend time in God’s Word.
It’s in the pages of God’s Word that we learn what He wants us to do and give. It’s here where we become versed in God’s design and grow to know Him better. Fill your heart with His words. Commit your life to being a wisdom hunter in the pages of Scripture.
4. Self-Evaluate, regularly.
Self-evaluation is not an easy task. It is, in fact, a very difficult, humbling, and often times painful experience. However, it is here in the middle of the hard that we are drawn closer to God and learn to live our lives by His design.
5. Grandparent on purpose. Be intentional.
Resources for the Role
One of the things we’ve implemented for grandparents this year is weekly Passing the Faith grandparenting tips. The tips are shared each Monday via Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. They can also be found on our Passing the Faith blog page. Be sure to bookmark us and watch for these weekly tips.
Additionally, blog posts written specifically for grandparents can be found on our Grandparent blog page.
Together, let’s become BIBLICAL grandparents!
Throughout the coming year, we will explore these tips in more detail and give consideration to additional tips that we can use to carry out our role with purpose and intent. #passingthefaith
1 comment
Paris Renae
Visiting from Crystal Storms link-up – having a little one year old grandson your title definitely caught my eye ???? What a joy it is, but with it comes great responsibility. Thanks for all the verses and blessings as you pass on to the next generation the wonder of our Savior!