Young and Old
Today’s Verse:
The glory of young men is their strength: and the beauty of old men is the grey head. ~Proverbs 20:29
Solomon made many wise summations when the Holy Spirit moved him to write the book of Proverbs. Proverbs helps us to understand the right pursuit in life, how to be the right person, how to make the right decisions, and how to develop the right people skills. God allowed Solomon to listen to and counsel with every facet of human experience. Our devotion this morning centers on what it means to be young and old.
We see the commendation.
Young men are commended for their strength, vitality, vision, and capacity for doing things. Young men are commended for their feats of strength and ability to break records. Older men are commended for their gray hair. Gray hair symbolizes wisdom, maturity, and experience. Older men are seen as prudent, vigilant, and discerning. Older men evaluate things from all angles. Older men are sought out for their counsel and discernment. They have understanding of the times. In their respective qualities, both are commended.
We see the comparison.
Solomon tells us that the virtue of being young is in our strength, and when we are old in our gray hair. When you are younger, you have more endurance and tend to be stronger, but when you are older, you slow down and have to work harder at retaining muscle mass. When you are younger, you can stay up late at night, but when you are older, you tend to go to sleep earlier. When you are younger, you have more time on your hands, but when you are older, you realize that time is precious and should not be wasted. When you are younger, you look forward to the days ahead, but when you are older, you look back with fond memories or regrets. When you are younger, you are impulsive in your decision-making, but when you are older, you don’t rush decisions. When you are younger, you should bear the yoke, but when you are older, the yoke is still a part of life. When you are younger, you have a capacity for doing many things, but when you are older, you are like Paul and focus on “this one thing I do.” When you are younger, you enjoy many friendships, but when you are older, you focus more on your closest friendships. When you are younger, your life is filled with activity, but when you are older, you fill your life with wise decisions.
We see the complement.
Old and young are not competitors, but complement one another. The older men help to mentor younger men, while the younger men take on the more arduous tasks. There are mutual areas of service where young and old can help each other. Old and young can benefit by praying with one another. Old and young can benefit by witnessing and leading people to Christ together. The older men and women can be model examples to the younger on how to have a good marriage and how to parent right. Old and young can work the same projects together and glory in their accomplishments. The old must continuously set the right example, and the young should follow the faith of those who are older. Both can praise one another for their virtues and strength, but both should be discreet in their criticisms of one another. Old and young together must have convictions that the worship of God is not dictated by cultural shifts, but by a passionate desire to glorify God. Together, old and young should share in the advancement of the kingdom of God and in the propagation of the gospel message. Both young and old must redeem the time because the days are evil. Young men should surrender to the ministry and serve God with all their hearts. Older men must do all they can with what time they have left and determine to finish well. Together, they must do all things for the glory of God.
Have a well-lived God Morning!
Bible Reading Schedule: 1 Chronicles 9-11