Grandchildren are the crown of the aged ...
Proverbs 17:6
Over the years (even before I became one of the "aged") I often referred to this verse when talking with grandparents at our annual Grandparents' Day. Why does Solomon say that grandchildren are the crown of the aged? Why not children? It has to be more than the joy that comes from spoiling our grandchildren (with impunity) like we never could our own children.
As I have reflected on this, I believe the answer lies here: When a parent sees that his children are raising godly children, he knows his children have truly "made their faith their own." He sees that Psalm 78 is taking place:
" ... that the next generation may know them, the children yet unborn, and arise and tell them to their children, so that they should set their hope in God and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments ..." (vv 6-7)Every time I am around my grandchildren (5 with #6 on the way), I am grateful for the faithfulness of their parents in raising a godly generation. I truly feel "crowned." And in a similar fashion I am grateful for former students who are faithfully following God, ministering to their own generation. We literally have graduates all over the world faithfully serving their families, their churches, and their communities with Christ's love.
Allow me to share with you some blogs from former students I follow as representatives of the alumni of HCA (and BCS and WCA before it) who are faithfully serving God in the world.
Jordan (Huston) Carlson - Class of 2006
In this post, Jordan talks about John the Baptist's testimony that his joy was found in his own personal decrease in the light of Christ's increase. Jordan's testimony is this:
So it is for all of the people of God. Just as John the Baptist spent his life in the service of Christ, being sent ahead to prepare the way, so we are to spend our lives in joyful service to God, rejoicing as Christ takes center stage.//resplendentsoul.wordpress.com/2016/09/15/he-must-increase/
John Piper states it this way: “God calls us to pray and think and dream and plan and work not to be made much of, but to make much of him in every part of our lives.
Ruth Anne Burrell - Class of 2009
In her blog Ruthie, sharing how she is a fan of the BBC Sherlock Holmes mystery series, notes the following dialogue:
After Mary Watson throws herself in front of a bullet to save Sherlock, the often arrogant and flippant detective is lost—confronted by a type of sacrificial love he didn’t know existed.
“In saving my life, she conferred a value on it,” he says. “It is a currency I do not know how to spend.”
It’s not often that a line of TV dialogue catches my attention for its beauty. This one made me pause my video and skipped back to re-watch it.
In saving my life, she conferred a value on it.
It is a currency I do not know how to spend.
I mulled over the quote for a few days, trying to figure out why it struck me so, and what I came up with was this:
In saving my life, Jesus conferred a value on it. And that is a currency that I often do not know how to spend.http://www.ruthanneburrell.com/?p=1298
Kaleigh (Adkins) Stickles - Class of 2011
Together with a couple of friends from college, Kaleigh formed a ministry called BeYOUtiful in Christ. Their mission is stated in part: We proclaim that our identity comes from Him and Him alone. Our desire is to teach girls to place their faith in Jesus and embrace themselves for how fearfully and wonderfully God has created them."
In this blog post, Kaleigh references the current Netflix series 13 Reasons Why which chronicles the thirteen reasons a teenager took her own life. In response, Kaleigh lists 13 reasons why life is worth living. She says:
I cried during most of the episodes. I didn’t necessarily cry because of the horrible things done to Hannah Baker. I cried because I will walk the school hallways. Not as a student, but as a teacher. I now play a vital role in a LIFE. How many Lord? How many young lives do I pass by, bump into, and say hello to are struggling? How many need ONE person to pour Jesus into their life? How many do we ALL pass daily?
Join me in thanking God for the alumni of HCA and praying for their continued influence for Jesus Christ around the globe.
