How Will We Age?

“The hoary head is a crown of glory, if it be found in the way of righteousness.” (Pr 16:31 AV)

As I am quickly approaching this age, it appears to me this will be a concern.  The last thing an aging saint desires to be is a bad testimony in his or her latter years.  There is encouragement to be had, though.  In all the years I have pastored, I have known almost no aging saints who have been an embarrassment to the LORD or their families.  Even those who may not have been the most faithful or who caused issues at church really didn’t shame their Savior or their families.  What I noticed though is the standard above.  Not being a disgrace is one thing.  Having a decent testimony is great.  But what of this crown of glory?  That white hair that naturally appears as we age is supposed to symbolize wisdom, discipline, sacrifice, and in general, a life that pleased God.  I have visited many nursing homes in my day.  I have sat at the bedside of dying saints.  For the most part, the saint dies well.  What I have to wonder though is whether we die with glory.  Do the white hairs on our heads shine as a testimony to the grace and power of God in our lives?  Does the white hair atop the old head shine forth as an oracle of what God did in the life of the saint?

One of my greatest fears is how I will age.  I have enough experience to relate that in our old age, we tend to become what we truly are inside.  I have seen the good, the bad, and the ugly.  I have seen the aged become someone whom others would not recognize.  But I have also seen many who become what the LORD wanted them to always be.  What a precious sight this is.  One lady, in particular, who suffered from Alzheimer’s got so close to God that one thought the LORD Jesus came into the room.  As I visited with her, she became less and less aware of her surroundings.  Her disease digressed to the point she could not recognize the presence of people.  Any one.  Not one soul could she discern as in her presence.  The last time I saw her before she passed away, she was out in the hall sitting in her wheelchair.  I sat next to her and attempted to get her attention so I could speak with her.  She was speaking quietly but not making eye contact.  I spoke more and more directly to her, but she continued to speak to no one.  Or, at least that is what I thought.  I sat and listened.  Then I realized something.  She was in prayer.  God was so real to her that nothing else existed.  Not even me.

Have you ever been behind an older person at the checkout and he or she does nothing but complain about life?  Nothing is good enough.  They gripe and complain about everything from the prices to the weather to all of society.  They are not happy.  Have you ever known neighbors who cannot adjust to changes?  They are angry all the time.  When others see the hoary head, they avoid it.  They know that no matter the situation, they will get an ear full.  A head of white hair is meant to mean something.  It is meant to represent wisdom and grace.  The thought is that if this person has made it this far in life with relative success, he or she must know a thing or two.  He or she must have done a few things right.  If their house is still standing and their children are serving the LORD, then perhaps they have a bit of wisdom to share.  The hoary head is meant to be an honor and not an embarrassment.  It is meant to glorify the LORD and not to agitate the young.  The hoary head is meant to be a snow-capped peak to which others go for refreshing and input.  My prayer is age my head gets whiter and whiter, it becomes a glory rather than a grunge.