Useful

I wake up in the morning running and lay down at night tired from the race of the day. I don’t like to hear anybody say that they have outlived their usefulness. What kind of talk is that? The day we outlive our usefulness we will be looking at Jesus. If you live long enough you are going to get old and we can’t prevent that. In John Chapter 10 and verse 10 we read these words; “The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.“ Now remember a thief comes when we’re not expecting him, the thief comes when no one is at home. Could it be that just maybe the thief has convinced you that you are too old and the days of opportunity have passed you by? You say I’m too old, let me ask you how old would you be if you did nothing?  I am glad everyone doesn’t feel like they have outlived their usefulness; because this world would surely have missed out on some great and grand achievements. Have you ever heard the name Harlan Sanders? He didn’t retire at 65 instead he took his Social Security checks and a family recipe and began franchising restaurants to serve his fried chicken. You might know him as Colonel Sanders and Kentucky Fried Chicken. I am afraid that many of life’s treasures remain hidden from you and I simply because we never search for them or think we have become too old and useless. Hog wash, don’t you believe that for one minute. Moses was 80 years old and God came to him and said I have a job for you Moses. I want you to lead my people out of the bondage of Pharaoh down in the land of Egypt.

Exodus 7:7 And Moses was fourscore years (80) old, and Aaron fourscore and three years old, when they spake unto Pharaoh. Has someone older in your life ever made a real impact in it? When I was 40 I began to spend a lot of time with men that were 75 and up and they taught me so much about courage and strength. They said things like “I’m still breathing I’m still living.” There was a man who was 75 years old and we became great friends; God used me to lead him to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. We were good friends until his death in May 2002 he was 82 years old. I’ll never forget him that is for sure, I spent hours with him and listened to him talk. He worked at a lead plant all his life; he was strong as an ox and he taught me so much for he had great wisdom. Never have the attitude that you’re useless for that is the enemy wanting to steal your joy, kill your drive and destroy your great usefulness. Don’t let him do it to you. What if my friend Alvin would have had that attitude? He would have robbed me of all he taught me. Quit letting those attitudes invade your mind and be a help and a blessing to someone this week. Find an older person and spend some time with them. I’m not 40 anymore but I still have a good friend who is 77; I love it. I have sat and talked with men who were survivors of Iwo Jima and Pearl Harbor, what a history lesson. So who has the Lord allowed you to cross paths with that hasn’t decided not to think they were useless; aren’t you grateful. Now you be a light in some one’s life and share.