Wednesday, December 12, 2007

I wonder if this is what a Biblical "Elder" looks like?


This book is old news for many. I read it about a year ago and was captivated. This is the story of a student and his teacher. Initially, Mitch Albom was a student of Morrie Schwartz in a New England university in the 70's. The real story of this book, however, is about Mitch and Morrie a number of years later in Morrie's home during the last days of his life dying from Lou Gehrig's disease, a brutal neurological deterioration.

The lessons were no longer pontifications to a classroom, but sharing from a lifetime wealth of experience to a friend on such topics as:
  • World views
  • Feeling sorry for one's self
  • Regrets
  • Death
  • Family
  • Emotions
  • Fear of aging
  • Money
  • Love
  • Marriage
  • Culture
  • Forgiveness
  • Etc.
Once a week for many Tuesdays Mitch would travel to Morrie's to spend time with him conversing on the above topics. Much was learned from what Morrie said and from simply watching Morrie navigate the realities of dying while truly LIVING as he went through the experience. Some of the descriptions are graphic, some are funny, some are gross, some are deep, some are light-but all are REAL! Refreshingly real!

I wonder if this is what Biblical eldership is meant to be (in contrast to being an institutional authority/manager)? Senior members of the family of God (or at least those farther down the path than others) inviting/allowing younger members to come alongside them and experience their lives in all their reality. Then, younger ones who naturally look up to the older ones, can soak in the wealthy wisdom of a lifetime of love for God.

I naturally long to become financially successful. However, I think a deeper desire of mine (at least sometimes) is to become wealthy in experience and wisdom no matter what happens to me financially. To be something like Morrie, when all is stripped away having a deep wealth that no one can rob that will carry me to whatever my end may be.

4 comments:

Shelagh said...
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Shelagh said...

I like your last paragraph, Sweetie. This world is all about money and youth. We don't seem to value wisdom as much. We can learn so much from older people just from their experience if not from their outstanding intellect as in the case of Morrie.

Keep up the great thoughts!

Aida said...
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Aida said...

Hanan, I found your blog as a result of the comment you made on Wayne's Lifestream blog. I really like what you said here. I put your blog in my feeder reader so I can keep up with your new posts.

I hope you don't mind but I quoted part of your blog on my blog and linked to yours. I added a few other thoughts that your post stirred up in me. I titled my blog Biblical elders.

If you want to check it out, the link to my blog is below. I tried giving you the link to the post but couldn't get it to work so that's why the delete. Sorry about that.

http://forgettingtheformerthings.blogspot.com/

Aida