Reading the Word
“The glory of young men is their strength, but the splendor of old men is their gray hair.” (Proverbs 20:29, ESV)
Understanding and Applying the Word
How old are you? If you are reaching mid-life or more, you likely remember a time when you were stronger, faster, and had a great deal more stamina. You probably remember being able to stay up late and get up early and it was not a big deal. You probably wish you had some of that strength and energy now. If you are young and still enjoying these things, know that they will begin to fade. You will get older.
Youth is not everything. There are advantages to getting older. After all, you get gray hair, as the proverb says! Why would that be such a great thing? Who wants gray hair? Gray hair is a symbol of wisdom. It is for the person who has lived many years and has experienced many things and has learned many of life’s lessons. Wisdom and understanding are very valuable.
This proverb is not trying to say that youth is better than old age or vice versa. It is making the point that there are advantages to both stages of life. The youth has strength and the aged has wisdom. And the two need each other. The younger need the older to teach them how to use their strength. The older need the younger to do the physical things that they can no longer do themselves. We should not look at our youth or our older generation and question the value of either. Let us celebrate each other and work together for our mutual benefit.
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