God’s Word and Grandma’s Buttons

“All Scripture is inspired by God and is profitable for teaching, for rebuking, for correcting, for training in righteousness…” (2 Timothy 3:16–HCSB).

“How high am I?” I danced at Grandma’s feet like an excited puppy.

Grandma giggled. “Let’s see.”

I inched as close as I could, so close I could smell the Dippity-Do she’d combed through her long, silver hair. Each morning, her tresses were wound in a bun, then pinned tight before covered by her prayer cap.

“Now then….”

I leaned in, my blonde head pressed against the bodice of her ankle-length dress. A neat vertical line of buttons went from just below Grandma’s chin to her waist.

Clicking her tongue, Grandma shook her head. “Sakes alive. You’re already at the sixth from the top.”

Placing her hands on my shoulders, she moved me one step back, then took my face in her warm, weathered hands. “I bet, by next visit, you’ll reach the fifth, and before long, you’ll be all the way up to my chin.”

And so it went, for years.

Each time her grandchildren visited, they couldn’t wait to see how much they’d grown, measuring their height against Grandma’s buttons.

It was a standard of sorts—something upon which we relied.

Because we knew. Grandma would be wearing a dress–its buttons, though in varying shapes and sizes, were always there. Little measuring tools.

But more than gauging our growing height, this godly woman instilled in us a love for the Lord and for…

God’s Word.

From the Old German Baptist Brethren denomination, Grandma, though winsome, was wise. A bookbinder, housecleaner, and gardener-extraordinaire, this tiny-in-stature woman was mighty.

That’s because she looked to and applied a particular standard for living, believing spiritual growth—the increasing of one’s faith—was found in…

God’s Word.

With only an 8th grade education, Grandma, along with her carpenter husband, raised two sons who grew to be godly men.

Like their mother—their father too—they understood from an early age what mattered most…

A love for the Lord and a reverence for…

God’s Word.

And such love was passed down to the next generation.

“Look at this rose.”

Grandma would bend low to inhale the flower’s fragrance. “Only a grand Creator could make something so magnificent.”

She’d click her tongue, then continue. “But as beautiful as it is, what does the prophet Isaiah tell us? The grass will wither and flowers will fall, but it’s the word of God which endures forever” (from Isaiah 40:8).

A lover of nature, Grandma instilled in me a love and appreciation for God’s creation too, in all its many forms. And she never failed to remind me just Who to thank for all good gifts, directing me back to…

God’s Word.

“Now girls, no fighting.”

Hands on her hips, Grandma would enter the room where my younger sister and I bickered over a toy.

“What does the Bible say about how we’re to treat one another? The fruit of God’s Spirit is love and joy. It’s peace and patience, not to mention, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, and self-control” (from Galatians 5:22-23).

Imperfect though she was, Grandma demonstrated the outpouring of God’s Spirit. Her love for us, even in discipline, directed us back to…

God’s Word.

“You look lovely, dear.”

Grandma’s cheeks were rosy, and our eyes met. I knew she loved her granddaughter, the girl about to be married.

“Remember. Though you’ll have hard times, clothe yourself with strength and dignity. Then you can laugh at the future, no matter what” (from Proverbs 31:25).

She paused, swallowing rising emotion. “With God’s help, you’ll be a wife of noble character.“

Like she had been, for nearly six decades.

She and Grandpa faced difficulties, too, as all married couples will, but they knew to look to the Lord and apply His truths as they hid in their hearts…

God’s Word.

I’m blessed to have one of Grandma’s Bibles. Within its pages, I’ve discovered many underlined passages, little notations written in the margins.

One particular passage is 2 Timothy 3:16—a reminder that God’s inspired Word is and always will be a standard for living. It’s a measuring tool for holiness, much like Grandma’s buttons were for our growth as children.

How grateful I am for this godly heritage—Grandma offering mighty and powerful lessons though, over time, I grew to be taller than this petite inspiration, a woman I dearly loved.

Still, no matter my height, I never stopped looking up to Grandma—aspiring to live a life like hers. Because hers was a life that looked like Jesus.

And through it all, she reminded me–the greatest growth is our maturity in the Lord, and that comes from loving…

God’s Word.

Father, thank You for the godly heritage passed down to many of us because of family members who loved You and Your Word. But even if we’re not afforded this familial blessing, we can–by Your mercy and grace–offer a godly heritage to those who come behind. And may it be so!