Age Wisely

I think many of us, on a cerebral level, believe that older means wiser. Our belief system may tell us that those who have gone before us have gathered wisdom, and they know what they are doing.

But how well does respect for advanced age mesh with the culture in which we take part? Think about a few things for a minute:

1. We have a tendency to surround ourselves with people exactly like ourselves. I recall being invited to a church years ago that was all 20-somethings! A good number of the people there liked it that way, feeling like it made it more relevant to them. Some think this is a natural human desire, but when we are healthy in heart, we long to be around people who are different and offer something new, because we aren't merely gathering friends who will validate us or tell us who we should be.

2. We have corporate awards for "The Best 40 Under 40," or even "20 Under 20," rewarding business people for their apparent success and business prowess at a young age. We praise people's ability to bypass spending time and energy on their craft and to go straight to personal glory.

3. Businesses, organizations, and churches sometimes seek flashy leaders with technical prowess/impressive degrees rather than those who have learned from experience over time. We tend to downgrade those who don't have these outward bells and whistles even though they have the true wisdom gained from being in the trenches. Just think of movies like  The Intern. The mindset comes from somewhere, doesn't it?

4. We look at pictures of older men and women (especially romantically), and we call them "cute." Cute doesn't usually connote the honor due someone who has seen years and accumulated wisdom to offer.

Sounds like we're pretty steeped in a mindset that sets us up to dishonor the wisdom of older generations while revering the counterfeit of quick and shallow success. But why?

For me, I used to find it hard to seek advice from certain older people. I wanted to, but there were deep things in my heart, planted long ago in childhood, that bred intimidation, bitterness, and dread. I feared being criticized or nagged, etc. for not knowing certain things. It's that old, lying mindset of wanting to impress hard-to-please leadership rather than letting them help me. Then there were the leaders I decided to trust, that I shouldn't have. But God saw all this, and His sweet heart was moved to rescue me. He came in and performed a healing work only He could do. 

And you wanna hear a surprising and wonderful effect of this? Of course, there's greater wisdom and connection with others. But I also desire to give to younger generations! When your view of Leadership is transformed by heart-healing of mistrust, both your view of yourself and others changes. You are set free to realize that age brings wisdom if you let it, you realize that you get better as you get older. So rather than trying to hang on to our youth for fear of becoming something we've learned not to trust, we are free to mature into responsible citizens who positively influence those around us!

So if any of the above list resonates with your beliefs, ask God why. Let Him open your eyes to what a gift old age is. Then you'll be able to eagerly let yourself age, and to invite older people into your life. Remember that age is a gift and a reward; not everyone gets a chance to grow old. And leaders are a gift; not everyone has someone to help them through tough times! 

This topic may sound trivial, but you'll never live out your true potential without older people who can mentor you. Don'tjust rely on learning by trial and error; it wastes time, and you don't know how much time you have. Furthermore, you can't leave a legacy without shepherding others and helping them continue the work you've poured your life into! So seek this out with God, and be blessed in all you discover!