During the years, I have been in a few rest homes. Some say that I belong in one right now. Haha, very funny. However, when we think of a rest home, ugly and disgusting smells invade our olfactory nerve. We think of multiple wheelchairs and hunkered over souls shuffling down a lonely and sparse, and empty hall.
If we focus on rest homes, we might get depressed. For, rest homes are similar to our so-called humane societies. The main difference is that we don't "put down" the aged. Yet. Rest homes are where we put the discarded of society. Those old shufflers are out of our sight and thus out of our daily lives and thoughts. They're not gone, just left out.
What is the Bible's solution to this problem? Look here in 1 Timothy 5:4, "But if a widow has children or grandchildren, these should learn first of all to put their religion into practice by caring for their own family and so repaying their parents and grandparents, for this is pleasing to God."
WHAT? We're supposed to take care of the old coders er the elderly? But, that would crimp our lifestyle. How would that look? Where exactly would they stay? I think that the Greek says something different.
It's actually fairly simple. It's the kids' turn to take care of their parents. But wait, the parents might live for years! More than 18! Would that be fair? Caring for parents for more than 18 years?
Well, just read this verse one more time and do what it says. Of course, all parties need to be on board. But taking care of Widows, at least, is the Bible way.
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