The elderly—how do we view this ever-increasing portion of our population? They are "greedy geezers" says Derek Humphrey in his book Freedom to Die: People, Politics and the Right to Die Movement. Humphrey sees the elderly that way because he says they are "putting a strain on the health care system that will only increase and cannot be contained."

Those of you who are reading this and those who sit next to you in the pew on Sunday morning would probably cringe a bit at Humphrey’s "greedy geezers." Most would be appalled at his advocating physician assisted suicide and euthanasia for the elderly as a means of "cost containment." The idea of killing people "for their own good" or granting the "right to kill" to those in the medical profession with or without the "explicit request" of the patient seems radical and contrary to moral reasoning. But such ideas have quiet beginnings and stem from seeds we are not even aware are being planted.

Even though most cringe at the elderly being referred to as "greedy geezers," not all Christians are ready to fully embrace the elderly as "people with purpose" either. Elderly who are up and around are one thing, but the frail elderly, those in nursing homes, those unaware of their surroundings, and those suffering from debilitating disease, do they really have purpose? It’s easy to talk piously about how the lives of the frail elderly should be valued, but when it’s our husband or our mom or our grandpa things can be different. They tell us they don’t want to be a "burden." We don’t want to see them in pain or suffering. We don’t want to see them helpless and have a seemingly meaningless existence and we say things like, "Grandma would never want to be like this." We love them, but care-giving can exhaust us. And, yes, financial concerns creep into our thoughts and we feel guilty because of them.

End of life concerns for the majority of people we know do not revolve around debates about the societal or economic or moral implications of assisted suicide and euthanasia. They revolve around what to do about grandma. And that is precisely the place where the seeds scattered by the "right to die" movement seek fertile ground. "Isn’t it compassionate to want to relieve grandma’s suffering?" "Even if she pulls through this, what kind of quality of life would she have?" "She wouldn’t want to live like this." The whole thing germinates in a culture where we have been taught for thirty-three years through abortion on demand that death is an acceptable solution to the problems of life. Then we mix in a little theology. "Certainly she would be better off in heaven." "What’s so wrong with sending her to be with Jesus?"

We do not intend to, and there is certainly no malice in our thinking, but we could end up treating grandma more like a "greedy geezer" than a "person with purpose." We could fall prey to the subtleties of a culture of death rather than praying to the Lord of Life with the Psalmist. "Even [though grandma is] old and gray, do not abandon [her], O God. Let [her] live to tell . . . what your strength has accomplished."

This is not a prayer to let grandma live no matter what and using every possible medical technology. This is not a prayer to let grandma live using extraordinary means that only prolong her dying. This is a prayer for God’s presence with grandma as she nears life’s end. This is a prayer that acknowledges grandma as a person with a purpose as long as God grants her life. This is a prayer that acknowledges God’s love as revealed through the cross and resurrection of Jesus Christ. This is a prayer that acknowledges God’s strength and what He is able to accomplish in and through grandma regardless of her condition or awareness.

People like grandma can "tell" a lot about God and His strength because it is His power that is at work. In fact, the less we are able to do, the more the power of God in Christ can be seen at work in us. (See 2 Corinthians 12:7b-9.)

So, what do we do with grandma? We love her and care for her. We treat her as a person with purpose. For we trust that as long as God gives her life, then God’s power and purpose is at work in her. When grandma’s body begins to die, when treatments are doing more harm than good, then those treatments may be withdrawn or such treatments need not be started. But we must never withdraw anything or give anything with the intent of killing grandma, even in the name of compassion and the relief of suffering.

Some will say that this line between allowing to die and killing is not always easy to discern. This is true. In such situations, the Christian consults with others, gets good medical advice, and prayerfully makes the decision. The child of God in Christ can be confident of God’s grace and mercy to be at work in that decision and need not be burdened with guilt.

However, the majority of the time the line between allowing to die and killing is quite clear. In such situations, the decision is between trusting and honoring God as the Lord of Life and giving in to a culture that looks for rescue from problems in the god of death. At such times, the line is drawn between taking the easy way and trusting in the way of the cross of Christ which tells us how God’s great love is at work most powerfully in the midst of suffering and uncertainty. At such times the line is drawn between contributing to a culture that sees death as its savior and changing the culture by witnessing to a living and present Savior who has conquered death and brings meaning and purpose to life.