Older But Wiser

If you’re at all familiar with American culture, then you’ll know that we tend to worry about what we look like. Particularly when it comes to aging.

There are a zillion commercials for anti-aging creams, fillers, hair dye, makeup that covers all your lines and wrinkles, botox…

Our entertainment industry totes much of the same rhetoric: Have fun while you’re young, the years in your teens and twenties are the best days of your life! Live it up while you can, because you hit thirty and it’s all downhill from there.

For example, take the lyrics of “Jack and Diane” by John Cougar Mellencamp: “Oh yeah / Life goes on, long after the thrill of living is gone…Holdin’ on to sixteen as long as you can / Change is coming ’round real soon / Make us women and men.”

Or “The Summer of ’69” by Bryan Adams: “Oh, when I look back now, that summer seemed to last forever. And if I had the choice-
Yeah, I’d always wanna be there. Those were the best days of my life.”

The funny thing is, when that song was released, Bryan Adams was only 25 years old. And the summer he was singing about…he would’ve only been 10 years old! Were those really the best days of his life?

Well, looking in the mirror at my hair the other day, I noticed a lot more gray around my temples and left ear. It didn’t bother me, I just happened to notice it. I do not dye my hair, and I will not. I’m much too lazy for all the upkeep required to make gray hair stay brown. Besides the fact that it’s money I do not want to spend.

(No offense to my hairdresser friends or those who color their hair. It’s just not for me.)

And the thought struck me that I can do all these things to make myself LOOK younger, but you know what? I won’t actually BE younger. Time marches on. We age, and there’s nothing to stop it.

And you know what? That’s totally okay! In fact, it’s desirable!

If we take a look at the Scriptures, they have a lot of things to say about the young and old.

2 Timothy 2:22 tells us to flee youthful lusts.
Prov. 7:7 mentions youths and a young man void of understanding.
Isaiah 40:30 mentions that youths will faint and young men will utterly fail.
1 Cor. 13:11 says to put away childish things.

There are a lot of benefits to being young. We are physically stronger, have more stamina and energy, and a ridiculous amount of confidence in our abilities. But it doesn’t always mean we will be successful, or that we are walking in the blessing of God.

There is a lot to be said about the benefits of age and experience. The Bible actually talks a lot about it.

JOB 12:12 says that with the ancient is wisdom and understanding comes from living a long life.
PROVERBS 16:31 says that gray hair is a crown of glory.
PROVERBS 20:29 says that the beauty (magnificence) of an old man is his gray hair.
PSALM 91:14-16 says those who set their love on the Lord will be satisfied with long life. (So it is seen as a reward.)

The Bible also talks about the relationships between younger and older people.

TITUS 2 gives older men and women responsibilities relating to teaching younger generations.
PROVERBS 3:1-4 tells young people to keep the wisdom of their parents because it will give you long life. (So getting old is a good thing.)
1 PETER 5:5 tells the younger people to submit to the older.
LEVITICUS 19:32 says we should rise up and honor the old men.
PROVERBS 23:22 says to listen to your father and don’t disrespect your mom when she is old.

We also know that getting older develops wisdom and knowledge, because lots of spiritual growth is a process.

2 PETER 1:5-7 tell us to add to our faith virtue, then knowledge, temperance, patience, godliness, brotherly kindness, charity.
COLOSSIANS 2:6-7 tell us to walk in Christ, being rooted and built up in Him and being established in the faith.
EPHESIANS 4:13-15 tell us to no longer be children tosses to and fro, but to come to the fullness of Christ, and grow up in Him in all things.
PHILIPPIANS 3:12-13 tell us to forget the things that are behind, because we have not yet attained Christ, and to look ahead to what is coming.

These are not things that happen overnight. It takes time to learn from your mistakes, to submit to the Spirit of God, to realize that you do not, in fact, know everything.

I think back on my life, even just six years ago, and see tremendous growth, because I have been intentionally working on walking and living surrendered. I was a very prideful person in my early years of faith. Very judgmental. I hadn’t really been through situations that humbled me, and I was only too ready to spout off on any number of topics and situations.

I am so very glad that as I get older I am much more aware of who God really is, and am open to being humbled. God teaches me the most in those times!

So not to ramble on all day, but if you are getting older, embrace it! Ask God what He has for you to do, because there is plenty! Be open to ways He is trying to teach and humble you. Be an example to the younger generation about what the love of Jesus truly looks like.

And make sure that you’re not just getting older, but wiser.