ODJ: sandwiched
September 13, 2011
Those who won’t care for their relatives, especially those in their own household, have denied the true faith (1 Timothy 5:8).
READ: Ruth 4:1-17
If you feel as if you’re a walking ham and cheese on rye, there might be good reason. More and more people are becoming part of the “sandwich generation.” They’re feeling the squeeze of caring for children while also supporting parents or parents-in-law. A recent report reveals that one in five working-age people in Asia are now officially “sandwiched.” Boaz and Ruth provide an ancient example of how to care for ankle-biters and aging parents. After choosing to take the widow Ruth to be his wife (Ruth 4:10), Boaz also accepted the responsibility of caring for her aging, destitute mother-in-law Naomi (v.16). God blessed Boaz and Ruth with a child whom they named Obed (v.17). In time, the child would grow and become the grandfather of King David (v.17).
From this account, we can see two principles that instruct us when we’re feeling the multigeneration squeeze:
• God requires that we lovingly care for both children and parents. Echoing Jesus’ example of making sure His mother was cared for (John 19:25-27), the apostle Paul wrote, “Those who won’t care for their relatives . . . have denied the true faith” (1 Timothy 5:8). In the same passage, he states that we must care for widows who are part of our family (v.16).
• The young and the old need each other. It’s interesting to note that Naomi the widow ended up caring for and nurturing Obed (Ruth 4:16). What a great picture of a healthy family, with the older teaching and modeling faith to the younger!
Being sandwiched can be tough. But the blessings that come with extending one hand to our children and the other to our aging parents are abundant. Just ask Naomi and Obed. —Tom Felten
If you’re caring for both kids and parents, what spiritual or material resources have you not tapped into? Why? If you’re not sandwiched, how can you help someone you know who is?
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