I’m embracing a gray-haired lady ministry these days.
It’s not an actual club you join. You simply, grow into it–shall we say?
I don’t like to think I’m old enough to qualify, yet, alas, when I look in the mirror a woman with gray hair looks back.
I’ve got a husband with a white beard, a bunch of Adorable grandchildren, and a surprising number of candles on my birthday cake.
But this year I’m embracing what I’m calling “the gray-haired lady ministry.”
Do you know why?
Because it lets me get away with all sorts of activities in public–particularly while standing in line looking innocent. (And not staring at my phone.)
I’m harmless, right?
What is this a ministry to gray-haired ladies?
Excellent question.
But the wrong one.
This isn’t a ministry, necessarily, to every gray-haired lady you meet on the street.
No.
It’s a surprise ministry all of us who look like the title can get away with.
Because many younger people (90% of the population) don’t pay attention to us.
We’re considered harmless. (No point in looking at my adult children. They know better!)
Easy to ignore.
People don’t mind sitting next to us on airplanes–especially if we’re only carrying a book and a purse.
(Oh the years I longed to do this!)
Nope. They think we’re harmless.
It’s insulting, but there’s no point in trying to prove our point.
We just act on it now.
So, it’s not a ministry to a gray-haired lady?
No.
We’re ministering to anyone because no one expects us to be dangerous.
After the 9-11 incident in the United States, airplane travel became full of hassles. Walking through TSA was one of them.
But many countries wisely checked the people entering their nations–paperwork, inspections, luggage checks.
(A sniffing dog at passport control in New Zealand stopped my college son one year. It turned out, the dog wanted a bite of his ham sandwich. But still).
Women I knew from our local crisis pregnancy center entered a small nation to lead training.
The guards looked at the gray haired lady leading them, and waved them through without inspection. “They can’t possibly be here to cause trouble.”
No indeed. They came to change the attitude toward pregnant women and give them hope.
Missionaries do similar work, of course. But not all of them are gray-haired women.
Though I do have several friends . . .
They can get away with a lot more than others
Last year, I was standing in front of the tooth paste aisle in my local grocery store.
A younger man–say forty–was looking at the same thing.
We sort-of do-saw-doed around each other until we both started laughing.
He stepped back and declared, “I have to go. You have a good day.”
I grinned back. “Why thank you. Can I give you a blessing?”
“Sure!” (What trouble could this gray-haired lady cause?)
I raised my hand in the direction of his forehead–I did not touch him. “Lord, God, I pray you would be with this man today. I call down the Holy Spirit to fill him with joy and blessings. Amen.”
To my surprise and his shock, he fell backward about a foot.
Wide-eyed, he exclaimed. “What was that?!”
I shrugged. “It was a blessing.”
“No, no. I’m not religious, but something was in that. You’ve got some sort of power!”
I laughed and waved him on. “God’s got his eyes on you. Have a joy-filled day.”
He nodded, staring at me. “Thanks.”
And then he went on his way and I returned to the toothpaste.
He obviously wasn’t expecting anything from a harmless gray-haired lady.
Yes, a gray-haired lady can pray in public–and more.
Back at the toothpaste aisle, I looked up when this younger man came around the endcap.
“You’ve got some sort of power.” His arms were wide opened. “My name is Ed. Can I hug you?”
I’m harmless, right?
“Sure. I’m Michelle.”
And that’s why this gray-haired lady was in the local grocery store hugging a strange man.
He ran off again to my laugh, “God’s got his eye on you Ed!”
Indeed, God sees all the rest of you youngsters, too.
Amen.
Hey! What does the Bible say about gray hair? Here are 35 verses!
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