I greet you in Jesus’ precious name! It is Friday morning, the 9th of February, 2024, and this is your friend, Angus Buchan, with a thought for today.

We go to the Book of Exodus 20:12, to the second book in the Bible,

“Honour your father and your mother, that your days may be long upon the land which the Lord your God is giving you.”  

Commandment Number 5 is the first commandment in the Bible with a promise added to it - that your days may be long in the land.

Early this morning, I went into our little town of Greytown, about 15 km from Shalom Farm, and I had to get a few things for the farm. I was amazed - it was pension day, and the town was full of pensioners. Of course, I never see myself as a pensioner because I never look at my face in the mirror. But I was so deeply touched, there was such a serene atmosphere in our little town. The people were coming up from the rural areas, some of them coming up to collect their pensions and then go back home. I went to the chemist to get something and sat on a bench next to an old Zulu lady. I saw this dear old soul take her purse out of her bag, she opened it up and took her money out of the purse and I saw her publicly counting it very carefully and I said to her, “Mama, please don’t let everybody see how much money you have got. Keep it safe just in case they want to steal it.” She thanked me profusely, put her money back in her little wallet and put it away in her bag.

As I went out, I saw an older man and the pick-up he had was probably as old as him. He could not start it, but he knew what to do. He had to get out, open the bonnet, connect a couple of wires to the starter and he got the engine started then he quietly walked back, got into his car and off her drove. I was deeply touched. I saw older women walking with walking sticks. They obviously have problems with their knees or hips but were quite happy walking along. I saw huge queues of people waiting to collect their pension money, quite happy, nobody arguing, nobody complaining, because you see old age teaches you things like patience, teaches you things like gratitude, gratitude for another day, an opportunity to get some money so that you can buy some groceries to go home with you.

Let us be very kind to people. Sometimes young people get impatient - “Come on, hurry up!” But young man, young lady, please understand one thing: that older person is probably in pain; they probably have back trouble. Maybe they can’t see too well, they have got cataracts in their eyes, maybe they can’t hear so well, but you know something? They are very patient, and it costs nothing to give them a smile, take them under the arm and help them across the road, count their money for them so that they don’t get fleeced by somebody, and I tell you, God will honour that good deed every time.

Jesus bless you and goodbye.