Being Old

DEVOTION

PROVERBS

BEING OLD

Prov 16:31

31 Gray hair is a crown of splendor; it is attained by a righteous life.

NIV

There is enough within the scriptures to suggest that God honors a righteous life with old age, with living a long and in fellowship with him life. There is also enough within the scriptures to suggest that God will cut short the life of those who do not live a righteous life. But there is also a truth which shows that the one who have grey hair, an ancient one, one who is of old age, should be found still living in the ways of God. For the old of age death is coming and coming sooner than later and with death also is the judge coming, we who are older should be found living in a way that brings honor to God. We should not simply think that because we are old we should have the respect of the younger, but it should be because we continue to serve God. All too often those who reach the gray haired age think that because they served God, served in the church, did some sort of ministry, that now they should leave it for the younger ones to do and begin to simply sit and do nothing, resting on their past. But we should be found continuing to serve God as Noah, Moses, Abraham, Gideon, David and a host of others who served God in their old age. Living to a good old age should be our crown of splendor because we attain it by a righteous life, not one of self-indulgence, which sitting back doing nothing, like so many old people do. There is no crown for just being old, but for living a righteous life.