Age is an issue at all times of our life. In fact, age is an issue of life because our aging determines in large part the pattern of our lives.
A friend told me this story recently. A seven-year-old girl was sitting on her grandmother’s lap. As the little girl moved her hand casually over the older woman’s face, Grandma said, “Honey, those are my wrinkles. They mean that I’m getting older.” The little girl thought for a moment and then asked, “Grandma, do wrinkles hurt?”
That’s a loaded question! It involves more than just wrinkles. It deals with the whole business of aging. Age is an issue at all times of our life. In fact, age is an issue of life because our aging determines in large part the pattern of our lives.
I don’t know when I began to register the awareness that I was getting older. When I was a teen-ager, I thought my parents, who were in their forties, were old. I was invited to accept the Presidency of Asbury Seminary when I was 60. I had heard the story of a previous president having difficulty retiring when the trustees wanted him to. So, I made the decision that I would accept the presidency, and would serve 10 years until I was 70, because I thought 70 would be old. I kept that commitment, though, at the trustees’ invitation, I served the seminary in another capacity for five more years. I did not then, and certainly not now, think 70 is old.
I believe in retirement, but I’m afraid our culture has equated retirement with “ceasing to work” … and ceasing to work has become inactivity or endless days of golfing, or some other recreation.
Back to wrinkles, do they hurt? NO!
In fact, our wrinkles could mean far more than added years. They could mean….
Wisdom, if we decided to continue growing and sharing
Joy, if we used some of our time relating to, and serving others.
Continued growth, if we did not retire our minds, and involved ourselves in the issues that are impacting our community.
Spiritual growth, if we banded together with a few others in mutual accountability, if we practiced prayer and regularly shared in public worship.
We live in a culture which glorifies youth. Notice the people in the TV commercials. We “older folks” need to show America a good image of aging by personifying an exciting sign of wrinkles. The Bible says that “Gray hair is a crown of splendor. (Proverbs 20:29). Many of the biblical heroes were up in age before they did great things.
Our wrinkles need not hurt. Let’s make them a badge of honor.