Who Went Before Us?

You're listening to the My Morning Devotional podcast, episode 1547. Today's Devo is called who Went Before Us? Hey there. We're the Alessies, a ministry family working together in our church in Miami, Florida. And if you're like us, when days get busy and to do lists get longer, it can be hard to find devotional time. That's why we've partnered with our friend Allison to produce a five minute daily dose of heaven. This is the My Morning Devotional Podcast. Happy Tuesday and good morning. Stephanie Moina here with all of you and I'm very excited to just dive into our devos today. Just to prepare you this week, it's going to be very random. All the topics I jump from respecting your elders to the devil is a liar. There's a lot that I have planned for this week, but if you can follow my brain pattern and and my brain rollercoaster, you will be blessed. I know you will. So let's dive into it today. I'm reading from 1st Timothy 5:1 and 2 in the NIV version and it says, do not rebuke an older man harshly, but exhort him as if he were your father. Treat younger men as brothers, older women as mothers, and younger women as sisters with absolute purity. We live in a culture that often celebrates what's new. New ideas, new trends, new technology, new voices. And while there is nothing wrong with innovation, sometimes we can begin to overlook something God deeply values, and I'm trying to deeply value, which is the wisdom and faithfulness of those who have gone before us. Many of us can point to someone older who helped shape our lives. Maybe it was a parent who sacrificed more than we realized at the time. It could have been a grandparent who faithfully prayed for us. I know that that was my grandparents, a pastor who stayed committed through difficult seasons. Maybe it was a mentor who shared wisdom from years of experience. Or maybe it was a church member who quietly served God long before you and I were even born. 90s babies. The truth is that none of us arrived where we are on our own. We are standing on foundations built by people who came before us and Scripture calls us to honor them. I know that this isn't a popular topic, but I really, really want to emphasize this on on this today. When Paul writes to Timothy, he doesn't just tell him how to lead the church, he teaches him how to treat people. Timothy was a younger leader and it would have been easy for him to become of dismissive of older believers, which is very much the temptation for us today. But instead, Paul instructs Timothy to treat older men as fathers and older women as as mothers. In other words, Timothy, lead with honor, lead with humility, lead with respect. God never intended for generations to compete with one another. He intended them to strengthen one another. The older generation has wisdom that was earned through years of victories, failures, lessons, and faithfulness. But then the younger generation brings energy. We bring passion, we bring a fresh perspective. And the church is healthiest. Your life is healthiest. Your mindset is healthiest when both are valued. And sometimes it is easy to focus on what older people can't do anymore. But what if we focused on what they've already done? Think about the prayers that they've prayed. Think about the battles they've fought. Think about the sacrifices they've made. Think about the years they spent remaining faithful when no one was applauding them. Many of the blessings the younger generation gets to enjoy today is the result of seeds planted by someone else decades ago. Someone prayed for our families. Someone gave faithfully, someone served faithfully, Someone kept showing up. Someone endured hardship. And they stayed committed to Christ. Respect grows when we remember the journeys others have walked. And one of the greatest ways that we honor people is by praying for them. Many older believers are carrying burdens that we do not always see. Some are navigating health, challenges, grief. They feel forgotten or maybe even overlooked. Some are wondering if their best years of ministry are behind them. But in God's kingdom, and I truly believe this faithfulness never loses its value. That's something that our younger generation can learn from the older generation. The people who prayed for us, they still need our prayers. The people who encouraged us, they still need encouragement. And the people who carried responsibilities for years, they still need support. And instead of assuming they'll always be strong, we should actively lift them up before the Lord. Imagine what would happen if the younger believers regularly prayed for the older generation in our churches. What a beautiful picture of God's family that would be. And respect it isn't just about manners. It's about recognition, recognizing God's work in someone else's life. This is what truly honoring those who came before us looks like. So today, think of one older person who impacted your life. Maybe it's a parent, a grandparent, a pastor, a mentor, a longtime church member. Reach out to them. Send them a text, make a phone call, write a note, bring, bring them a gift, take them out to dinner. But most importantly, spend a few minutes praying for them. Let's pray. Heavenly Father, thank you for the people you have placed in our lives who have gone before us. Thank you for their faithfulness, their wisdom and their sacrifices. And Lord, help us to be people who honor and respect our elders. Today we pray for the older men and women in our families, our churches, our communities. Strengthen them physically, emotionally and spiritually. Encourage them where they may feel encouraged and remind them that their lives continue to have purpose and impact in your kingdom and in our lives. Let them know that they are loved, appreciated and seen by you God, and help us become a generation that not only receives wisdom but also honors those who share it. And in Jesus name we pray. Amen. So there you have it. Your 5 minute daily dose of heaven. Thank you so much for tuning in today. We pray these devotionals empower you to take on your day. If you found value in this devotional, share it with a friend. Leave a comment or review for us on the app you're using right now. Until tomorrow. We pray that your latte is strong, but your love for Jesus is stronger.