Grandparent on Purpose - 4 Roles of a Grandparent!

Yesterday on my other blog, grandma's cookie jar, I shared some things about grandparenting on purpose which Tim Kimmel said during the Legacy Coalition meeting I was at the other day. Today I want to share them with you - please think about them in regards to the grandparents in your church. Then think about what you do to help engage, equip and encourage these grandparents to be intentional about passing on a heritage of faith to their grandchildren.

Tim said grandparents need to employ a "gracious grandparenting" plan . . . which basically means we treat our grandchildren with the same grace God lavishes upon us! When we mess up, God gives us His grace and forgives us - He does not hold it over our heads nor brow-beat us. God gives us grace and grandparents need to do the same!

He said there are four roles for a grandparent . . . 

• We need to be blessing givers - speak words of blessing to our sweet grandchildren. Look for Scripture verses which speak to you and which can encourage your grandchildren and then pray them out-loud over your grandchildren! This gives our grandchildren a secure love, a sense of significance and a strong hope - and why wouldn't we want to give our grandchildren these things???!!!
• We need to be people who leave a legacy. (Psalm 102:28) One day when we are gone, what will our grandchildren think of when they think of us? Calm? Peace? Assurance? Hope? Love? Grace? Or something else? Leave a legacy which points and draws our grandchildren to Jesus!
• Be a torch bearer of the Gospel! Tim said, "Don't chase them with the torch, or cram it down their throats! Don't drop it! Shine the torch and hold it high!" The Spirit has the job of drawing our grandchildren to Him in His timing. Hold the torch of the Gospel, so they can see it and let the Spirit draw them to Him!
• Set a Standard. (Psalm 15:1, 2, 5b) Be blameless, righteous, speak the truth and we will never be shaken!

Just because we are grandparents, it does not mean we are ready to retire. We still have a job to do; a very important job! Let's be serious about passing on a heritage of faith!