Aged to Perspective

Don't you love new things? We love kittens, puppies and babies, a new car, a new house, even a new piece of clothing, or a new notebook. In the halls of the school where I work I have seen many a notebook that could be re-used tossed in the trash bin at the end of a school year. Our love for new things has caused us to discard much that still has worth and value. Even relationships and people have become disposable.
Japanese society reveres the elderly. American society often treats the elderly as a burden to be cast aside. They slow us down on the roads and in the halls. They require extra patience and care, bu oh, what treasures they have to share with us if we would only slow down and listen before they no longer have the ability to pass on their wisdom.
Yesterday I attended a class taught by a 73-year-old man who had been in ministry for 53 years. he described himself as bi-vocational for most of his years in ministry having been employed as a teacher, a school administrator and even a chief of police while also leading a church! It didn't take long to realize that this man, not only had a thorough knowledge of the subject he was to teach (Old Testament survey, to impress you bible students), but had a wealth of insight and wisdom that he had gained as a result of his many years of experience, not only in ministry , but in life. He was full of humility and joy at having the opportunity to share the many jewels he had acquired in his travels with our small class. Though our class was released long after the other classes had finished, we didn't mind at all. The time had been well spent in the presence of a master, not only of the class subject, but of life. What an honor to sit, listen and learn from his wealth of knowledge and from his perspective gained by age.
The Hebrew Scriptures say in Leviticus 19:32 "Rise in the presence of the aged, show respecct for the elderly and revere your God." Now there's a practice that has gone out of fashion in the US! Isn't it interesting that respecting the elderly and revering God are equated with each other? Paul says in I Corinthians 14:5 "you have many teachers, but not many fathers." I had the rare and marvelous opportunity to hear from a "father" yesterday. How grateful I am that I was not in too great a hurry to pay attention.