My grandma was a peculiar soul with some quirks and oddities that we never figured out. I don’t say that with any disparagement. It’s just a fact and we would often tease her about them. For example, when she first got a microwave, she was scared to death of it. She would use it but unplug it as soon as the cooked item was done.
Another situation involved the television. Grandpa would get so aggravated with the television remote because it would lose its programming. I would go to their house and get them back up running again. At that time, remotes were just coming out with televisions (yes, I’m that old) and their technology was a bit different than what we are used to today. Come to find out, grandma would unplug the television every night before going to bed. This would “deprogram” the connection with the remote. In fact, grandma would go through the house unplugging everything except the stove and refrigerator. Why? She didn’t want to be shocked – literally. Grandma was afraid of an electrical shock that she was certain would be created by leaving certain things plugged in.
Crazy? Maybe not. A Southern Living article from the third week of April 2025 lists eight things you should unplug after you’ve used them. The list includes: kitchen countertop appliances, hair dryers and styling tools, small heaters, chargers, power strips, electric kettles, candle warmers, and electronics which includes computers, DVD players, and – are you ready for it? – televisions. Each item in their list has the potential of creating a fire due to short circuiting, overheating, overcharging, or other electrical malfunctions. Every unplugged item is one less potential fire starter.1
Evidently, grandma was ahead of her time!
While I was thinking about this, a thought hit me. Titus 2:1-6 says, “But speak thou the things which become sound doctrine: (2) That the aged men be sober, grave, temperate, sound in faith, in charity, in patience. (3) The aged women likewise, that they be in
behaviour as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things; (4) That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, (5) To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed. (6) Young men likewise exhort to be sober minded.”
I often remind our older men and women that they still have a job to do. They have the responsibility to teach the younger. Too many of the older don’t teach, though, choosing rather to enjoy retirement and find people their own age who understand where they’re coming from. I still stand by my admonition to the elderly. However, there is another side to this.
How can the elderly teach the younger when the younger think they know it all?
I thought grandma was a nut! She just didn’t understand and I, with all my 10-12 years of life experiences, knew it all. Through the years, how many times did I discount the thoughts, ways, and instructions of older people in my life because they just weren’t “with it” or up to speed on modern things? How many times did I think their ideas were backwards?
I used to think that of my dad quite often. Today, I realize that dad tended to be right 99.9% of the time and the remaining .1% was of something inconsequential. My dad was smart and wise and there were so many times I wondered, “How did he know?”
Today, it’s difficult to find an older teen or young adult who will listen without telling you that there is a better way of doing things. Our instruction is deemed by many younger 
people as old fashioned, judgmental, and unwilling to change. The younger generations have no problem upbraiding their elders, instructing and even correcting them publicly.
Now, let me be quick to say that all elderly are not failing to teach and all young are not failing to listen and learn. If you are starting to get your back up, just calm down for a moment. If this doesn’t apply to you, praise the Lord and move on!
I have to wonder how many people read Southern Living’s article and are now rushing around their homes unplugging everything in sight. My grandma could have told you all of this 40 years ago! But would we have listened or just thought this was the crazy, unfounded fears of an old woman?
I leave us today with two verses of Scripture, one heralding the elderly and the other, instructing the young.
Leviticus 19:32 Thou shalt rise up before the hoary head, and honour the face of the old man, and fear thy God: I am the LORD.
1 Peter 5:5 Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder…
1https://www.msn.com/en-us/lifestyle/home-and-garden/8-appliances-you-should-always-unplug-when-not-in-use/ar-AA1Db0f6?ocid=winp2fptaskbarhover&cvid=e76fe5b007f44f09a391ef585565e6a7&ei=25
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