On the Shoulders of Giants
Leviticus 19:32 Show respect to the aged; honour the presence of an elder; fear your God.
The older I get – and I’m not that old, really – the more I’m convinced of the vital importance of respecting and honouring those who’ve gone before us. There’s something that happens within when we recognise that the successes we may have had in life don’t all come down to our own personal brilliance, if I can put like that.
Most of us, when we look back at our family tree, can’t see much further than our grandparents. Perhaps you knew your great-grandparents, or you’ve heard something of their story as it’s been passed down, but that’s about it.
And yet the reality is that my life and yours are what they are because of the many twists and turns, labours and toils, of our ancestors. If you go back just seven generations – to your great-great-great-great-great grandparents – that makes 128 ancestors over 200 years, give or take, not to mention the uncles, aunties, cousins … all of whom played some part in shaping your story; in making you who you are; in placing you in the position which you now occupy.
That’s a sobering and, I think, humbling thought. God’s blessed us incredibly through those who’ve gone before us – through their struggles, their sacrifices, even through their failures. So …
Leviticus 19:32 Show respect to the aged; honour the presence of an elder; fear your God. (MSG)
Way back in 1675, renowned physicist Isaac Newton wrote this: “If I have seen further than others, it is by standing on the shoulders of giants.”
Don’t forget the giants in your life.
That’s God’s Word. Fresh … for you … today.
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