When Wisdom Overtakes Strength

Did you know that there are two main stages in our physical lives? It doesn't matter what gender, race, nationality, or preference we choose - life has two main stages. 

Solomon, the wisest man ever to live, summarizes the two stages this way. "The glory of young men (or women) is their strength, and the honor of old men (or women) is their gray hair." Gray hair means wisdom. The Message Bible says it this way. "Youth may be admired for vigor, but gray hair gives prestige to old age.”

Assuming people live to an older age, there is a strength/vigor time in life, and then there is a wisdom time. Both stages are sound and designed by God. But often, confusion comes when our strength time is mostly over, and our wisdom time of life has arrived, and we don’t know it. That can be a midlife crisis. 

Both stages must encourage and honor each other, or bad things will happen - the endless pursuit of youth by refusing to embrace wisdom shortcircuits our basic design. Look at those older men with half-buttoned shirts and gold chains around their necks. Awkward and not wise!  

So, today I would like to encourage those of you who are in the wisdom time of life. I would also like to offer you 'strength people' some wisdom, too. Why? Someday you will look like me! You know that song, "Will you still need me, will you still feed me, when I’m 74?” (I believe 74 is the new 64.) Yes, this month I turn 74. Will you still read me? Will you still heed me? When I was a kid, a film was considered obscene if the horse wasn't wearing a saddle. 

Consider the reality of the Four Stages of Elimination in Life at these approximate ages. Someone very wise captured this eventual reality.

At 60, the workplace starts eliminating you. No matter how successful or influential you were during your career, you'll return to being an ordinary person. So, don't cling to the mindset and sense of superiority from your past job. Let go of your ego, or you might lose your sense of ease.

At 70, society gradually eliminates you. The friends and colleagues you used to meet and socialize with become fewer, and hardly anyone recognizes you at your former workplace. Don't say, "I used to be..." or "I was once..." because the younger generation won't know you, and you mustn't feel uncomfortable about it.

At 80, family starts slowly eliminating you. Even if you have many children and grandchildren, you'll usually live with your spouse or alone. When your children visit occasionally, it expresses affection, so don't blame them for coming less often, as they're busy with their own lives.

At 90, the Earth wants to eliminate you. Some or most of the people you knew have already departed forever. Don't be sad or mournful because this is the way of life, and everyone will eventually follow this path.

Here's a wise account of someone else's reality I gleaned from WordPress. 

While watching a little TV on Sunday (instead of going to church), I watched a church in Atlanta honoring one of its senior pastors who had been retired for many years. He was 92 then, and I wondered why the church even bothered to ask the old gentleman to preach at that age.

"When I was asked to come here today and talk to you, your pastor asked me to tell you the greatest lesson I learned in my 50-odd years of preaching. I thought about it for a few days and boiled it down to one thing that made the most difference in my life and sustained me through all my trials. The one thing that I could always rely on when tears and heartbreak and pain and fear and sorrow paralyzed me, the only thing that would comfort me was this little song. 

Then he sang, "Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so. Little ones to Him belong; we are weak, but He is strong. Yes, Jesus loves me; Yes, Jesus loves me; Yes, Jesus loves me, the Bible tells me so.” When he finished, the church was quiet. You could hear his footsteps as he shuffled back to his chair. I don't believe I will ever forget it.”

A pastor once stated, “I always noticed that it was the adults who chose the children’s hymn “Jesus Loves Me” during a hymn sing, and it was the adults who sang the loudest because I could see they knew it the best.”

Here is a new version just for us who have white hair or no hair at all. For us over middle age (or even those almost there) and all you other aged people, check out this version of Jesus Loves Me. It’s called the Senior Version of Jesus Loves Me.

“Jesus loves me, this I know, though my hair is white as snow, 

though my sight is growing dim, Still He bids me trust in Him. 

Chorus. 

“Yes, Jesus loves me, yes, Jesus loves me. Yes, Jesus loves me. For the Bible tells me so.”

“Though my steps are oh, so slow, with my hand in His, I'll go; 

on through life, let come what may, He’ll be there to lead the way.” 

Chorus. 

“When the nights are dark and long, in my heart He puts a song, 

telling me in words so clear, “Have no fear, for I am near.” 

Chorus. 

“When my work on earth is done, and life’s victories have been won. 

He will take me home above; then I’ll understand His love.” 

Chorus. 

“I love Jesus, does He know? Have I ever told Him so? 

Jesus loves to hear me say that I love Him every day.” 

“Yes, Jesus loves me; yes, Jesus loves me. Yes, Jesus loves me, the Bible tells me so.”

Wisdom Takeaway: Live life to the fullest and do the things you love. Remember, the only thing that won't eliminate you is your current family and real friends. So, meet, communicate, say hello, maintain your presence, be happy, and have no regrets.

One more thing, accept Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord. That’s when heavenly wisdom overtakes earthly strength.