25 Jun, 2007
"Nothing special"
"I don't want to die," Tomoji Tanabe told reporters Monday, while receiving a certificate from the Guinness World Records at a ceremony in southern Japan verifying him as the world's oldest male.
Tanabe, who lives in the southern city of Miyakonojo, took the title in January following the death of Puerto Rico's Emiliano Mercado Del Toro, who at 115 was also the oldest human. But Tanabe, born Sept. 18, 1895, was certified by Guinness only earlier this month, according to Kyodo News agency.
Tanade, a former city land surveyor, thanked his children and grandchildren for caring for him over the years and described Monday's event as "nothing special."
Coincidentally, the world's oldest person, a woman, is also Japanese. Yone Minagawa, 114, was born Jan. 4, 1893.
The number of Japanese living beyond 100 has almost quadrupled in the past 10 years, with the once-exclusive centenarian club expected to exceed 28,000 this year. Experts often attribute the longevity to a Japanese diet rich in vegetables and fish.
photo & story courtesy twincities.com, 6/21/07
Leviticus 19:32
32 “You shall stand up before the gray head and honor the face of an old man, and you shall fear your God: I am the Lord. (ESV)
What does today's God's Story scripture teach us about how we should treat the elderly?
God gave the Israelites a direct command to show respect for the elderly, because this brings honor to them and to God. This instruction is timeless, meaning we must also apply it today.
A lot of jokes are made about the elderly in our culture. It's often easy to ignore them and not spend time with them. When their memory fades, their hearing goes, their eyes fail, and their ideas are different than ours - we often disregard their opinios and God's command to give them honor.
Every old person is precious in God's sight. If we spend time with them, we will learn from their life experience and wisdom. And it will make their day!
I love today's story about Tomoji Tanabe saying that being the world's oldest man is "nothing special". He obviously has an incredible will to keep living by saying "I don't want to die."
My favorite part is that Tomoji writes in a daily diary. Think of the stories he could tell.
Wouldn't you love to hear his story and how it connects to the stories of others? I wonder if Tomoji knows about God's Story?
How can we connect today's God's Story scripture to our lives?
- First of all, be very honest. How about you and your friends? Do you show respect for the elderly like God's Word teaches?
- Talk to God through prayer right now. Thank Him for His instruction for us to care for and respect the elderly. Pray for one elderly person (other than a relative) you know. Ask God to show you how to encourage this person. Now thank God for your grandparents and remember to pray for any of them who are still living.
- Tomoji, the world's oldest man, has a journal. Try keeping a daily journal for thirty days. Write down a daily example of God's Story in your life and a daily example of what you learn from or see in elderly people.
How can we connect today's story, God's Story scripture, and our story to others?
- Pray for Tomoji in his relationship to God. He says, "I don't want to die." It's possible that he is unsure of his eternal destination. Pray that he will become a follower of Christ if he has not already received God's free gift of forgiveness.
- Once a month, help out an elderly person in your neighborhood.
- Write a letter of appreciation and love to your grandparents, even if they live nearby or you see them quite often. They love letters and email. If you don't have living grandparents, do this for another older couple or single.
- In your small group or youth group, develop a plan to reach out and honor the elderly in your community. It might involve visits to a nursing home or the homes of some older folks in your church or community.
- Use today's story about the world's oldest man, Tomoji Tanabe, to start a conversation with someone you know who needs Jesus. You could ask, "If you lived to be 111-years-old, what would you hope to know about God by that age?"
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