5 Ways to Bless the Grandparents in Your Life

1. Make Time for Them

When I was in high school, I was heavily involved in many different activities. Unfortunately, whenever my grandfather called, I rarely had time to talk to him. Even though he only lived ten minutes from us, something was always going on in my life that made it difficult for me to visit. As I got older, new commitments and added responsibilities didn’t make finding time to spend with him any easier. When my grandfather eventually passed away, I remember sitting at his funeral and realizing that I barely knew this man. That was because I had never actually made time to get to know him. It’s one of my biggest regrets in life, one I’m sure many people share.

One of the best ways to bless your grandparents is also one of the most obvious. Make time for them. Unfortunately, many of the elderly I’ve worked with over the years have felt forgotten by their own family members. You can change that. As they enter the twilight of their time on earth, our elders are a living reminder of what James talked about when he wrote, “You do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away.” (James 4:14) If you want to bless your grandparent, make time to be with them while you still can. If you live close by, go and visit. If you live far apart, schedule times to call them. In the words of the apostle Paul, “Be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise, making the most of your time, because the days are evil.” (Ephesians 5:15-16)

2. Find Common Interests

Far too many young people have little to no relationship with their grandparents today, and one of the frequent excuses I hear from grandkids is that they believe they have nothing in common with their elders. We may not listen to the same music, read the same books, or wear the same clothes, but are these interests really an obstacle to having a relationship with our grandparents? If you want to bless your grandparents, find things you have in common and enjoy them together.

When my wife and I first got married, her Spanish-speaking grandmother lived with us for a few years. At the time, the two of us had very little in common. We didn’t speak the same language. We didn’t like the same food. We didn’t watch the same shows or read the same books. But we both loved the Lord, which was common ground that brought us together every night at the dinner table. In an effort to cultivate a relationship with the matriarch of my wife’s family, I also learned how to speak Spanish, cook tortillas the proper way, and enjoy her novellas. I know it blessed her when I did. Therefore, if you want to bless your grandparents, make an effort to share something with them. Find common interests. If you are both believers, remember also that you are united by something far greater than age and interest (Isaiah 46:4; 2 Timothy 1:5). And if Christ can reconcile sinners to the Father and make enemies brothers through His Son, He can certainly unite members of the same family and same faith who are separated only by years. For what are mere years in the eyes of an eternal God? (Psalms 103:17)

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3. Listen to Their Stories

When my grandmother was in the last decade of her life, she was diagnosed with a severe form of dementia, which made it difficult for her to communicate and remember most things. However, at ninety-five years old, our grandmother could tell you anything you wanted to know about her life growing up on a farm in Minnesota. It also wasn’t uncommon for her to start singing her favorite hymn without forgetting a single word. Despite her cognitive struggles, her songs and stories had not been lost. They were more precious to her than anything she owned. When she eventually passed, we realized how precious they were to us as well.

As her time on earth was coming to an end, I remember just sitting with my grandmother and asking her to share her stories. Though she regularly struggled to remember the day-to-day details of life and communicate with clarity, I could see the joy on her face when a window to her past had been opened. She may not have remembered what she had for breakfast, but she remembered what mattered most to her in life: her faith and where we had come from as a family. To put things in perspective, my grandmother had lived through the Great Depression, World War II, the Vietnam War, 9/11, and Covid-19, to name a few. She had also witnessed the first moon landing, seen the advent of television and the internet, and watched seventeen American presidents come and go. That is a lot of history, a lot of experience, and a lot of perspective to offer. Most importantly, my grandmother had lived through a lifetime of triumph and tragedy and seen the hand of God at work in and through it all. As it is written, “I have been young and now I am old, yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken or his descendants begging bread.” (Psalms 37:25)

There is a reason why the Bible references older generations passing down their stories to the younger generations (Joel 1:3). Not only do these events remind us just how much we have in common with our elders (2 Timothy 1:5), but they are a testimony of the goodness and faithfulness of God across the generations (Psalms 78:1-4; Deuteronomy 6:6-7). Only a fool would disregard his family history. Few things will bring your grandparents more joy than valuing their stories and giving them confidence that their stories and family history are being preserved and passed down.

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4. Treasure Their Wisdom and Value Their Contributions

When my mother, a nurse of forty-five years, eventually retired, the first six months proved to be really difficult for her. She enjoyed not having to get up early in the morning and definitely cherished her trips to the beach lunch dates with her friends, but something in her life was not the same. I’ll never forget the day she told me through teary eyes, “I feel like I’ve lost my purpose.” Sadly, depression is not uncommon for grandparents and the elderly, especially those who believe they are no longer needed or have anything to offer. The shift in responsibility can be dramatic for older people. To go from being someone people rely upon, either in the family or the workplace or both, to having no one seeking their wisdom, input, or contributions can be devastating. One of the worst things you could ever do to someone in their later years is take away their responsibilities.

In many families, the elderly are provided for and taken care of. I believe this is a good thing and falls in line with the biblical mandate to serve the physical needs of others, especially those in our immediate families (1 Timothy 5:8; Matthew 25:35). However, in our effort to serve our grandparents, we often relegate them to a corner of the house and don’t ask them to contribute much to the family. Physically, they may have limitations, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t try and involve them as much as we can. Furthermore, one of the most significant ways to bless your grandparent is to value their insight, seek their wisdom, and remind them that they do have something to contribute and say. “Wisdom is with the aged, and understanding in length of days,” it says in the book of Job (Job 12:12).

I am astounded at the arrogance of so many in my generation who look down on their elders and disregard what they have to say as outdated and irrelevant. But like Rehoboam scorning the wisdom of his father’s advisors (1 Kings 12:1-15), we would be just as foolish to ignore the wisdom and experience of our elders. I know this may shock some in my generation, but is it possible that our grandparents know more than us? Therefore, if you want to bless your grandparent, don’t be afraid to ask for their advice. Treasure their wisdom. Value their contributions. And remind them of their value and all they still have to offer the family, the church, and the world.

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5. Get Married and Start a Family of Your Own

I’ve saved the best for last; the last way to bless the grandparents in your life just happens to be the most countercultural of the bunch. Unfortunately, we live in a time where many young people are actively discouraged from getting married and having children. The declining marriage and birth rates in many parts of the Western world have proven just how influential yet calamitous this way of thinking has become. And yet, I cannot think of anything more unbiblical and ungodly than telling a young person that it is a bad idea to get married, have children, and start a family. Of marriage, Solomon wrote that “he who finds a wife finds a good thing and obtains favor from the LORD.” (Proverbs 18:22). Of children, the Psalmist sang, “Behold, children are a gift of the LORD, the fruit of the womb is a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, so are the children of one’s youth. How blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them; they will not be ashamed when they speak with their enemies in the gate” (Psalms 127:3-5).

And of grandchildren, the Bible says they “are the crown of old men, and the glory of sons is their fathers” (Proverbs 17:6). This is wisdom our godless society has rejected to its own detriment and peril.

Few things would bring my grandmother more joy in her final years than learning she was going to be a great-grandmother for the first time. To this day, I cherish the picture of the bedridden ninety-six-year-old woman holding her granddaughter for the first and only time. She would go to be with the Lord only a few months later. I also cannot imagine depriving that woman of that blessing out of my own fear or selfish desires. Sadly, many young people today have prioritized their goals, ambitions, and comforts over the joys of getting married, having children, and raising a family. They have been sold a cynical lie that has robbed them, their parents, and their grandparents of the God-given blessings of family.

Therefore, if you want to truly bless your grandparents, treasure their wisdom, value the time you have with them, and do what you can to continue their lineage, preserve their stories, and pass down the knowledge of God and the testimony of His faithfulness across the generations. In doing so, you, too, will be blessed. As it is written, “the generous man will be prosperous, and he who waters will himself be watered.” (Proverbs 11:25)