As a young pastor, I watched my mother walk a path that many dread but most will eventually face — the journey of caring for aging parents. First, it was my grandfather, whose health declined rapidly and who passed away in my parents’ home — in the very room that had once been mine. A few years later, my grandmother battled bone cancer. The pain and complexity of her condition was beyond my mother’s ability to manage alone. She agonized over the decision to place her in hospice care, ultimately spending hours with her every day during those final months.
Now, my mother is facing her own end-of-life journey, and I find myself retracing the steps I once helped her take. After nearly four decades of ministry, I’ve counseled many people in this same situation. What I’ve seen time and again is that even the most loving, conscientious children are often riddled with guilt — especially when decisions feel impossibly hard. But Scripture offers clarity, comfort, and guidance for those walking this sacred path.
The Bible speaks directly to our role in caring for aging parents. In 1 Timothy 5:8, Paul writes that anyone who does not provide for their relatives is “worse than an unbeliever.” This passage isn’t about caring for children — it’s about widows and aging parents. The responsibility falls on family first, not the church or society. …
Read the complete post here: A Biblical Message for Children of Aging Parents, or just listen to the podcast.
