Becoming Old Wise People

One of the realities of human life, that is a result of the Fall in Genesis 3, is aging.  In many ways, aging is a harsh reality because able-bodied young people decrease in physical capability just as a result of the passage of life and of time.  On the other hand, age should bring with it wisdom and dignity as well as insight into the Word of God.  The pertinent word is should, the process of aging should breed wisdom, but it is the process of such a decree that warrants further examination.

The issue at hand is the fact that wisdom is not accrued passively.  In fact, it requires our intentional and active pursuit.  More so, though, acquiring wisdom demands that God, particularly that we ask God to bless us with wisdom in faith (James 1:5-6).  Essentially, aging into an old, wise person does not simply mean growing into an old person.  Instead, it necessitates a life spent seeking God and asking Him to bless us with wisdom.

This is an all-too-often neglected reality.  We all know people who are old but are unwise.  However, they feel that their age is the only requirement of being wise.  This is just blatantly incorrect because, as aforementioned, wisdom and growing in wisdom does not happen passively but requires our active and consistent participation and pursuit.

Truly, aging in godliness requires more than merely the passage of time; rather, aging in a godly sense  demands our consistent and continued faithfulness.  Remember, wisdom at its heart is the ability to make right decisions.  And as rightness is a characteristic of God Almighty, wisdom is thus the ability to rely upon God for decision making.  Let us then pursue the wisdom of relying upon God so as to grow into the old, wise people that God intends us to be!