1. What I just wrote about the relentless march of time reminds me of a tendency that prevails upon aging adults both outside and inside of the church. We don't want to accept the reality that we are growing old. Just listen to people around you. You will hear things like, "Well 60 is the new 40!" and "I am celebrating the 20th anniversary of my 29th birthday!" Listen, we cannot change the fact that with each passing year we are just that ... a year OLDER! And with the aging process comes challenges that the average younger person has not experienced.
Derek Prime, in his excellently written and easily read book, A Good Old Age: An A to Z of loving and following the Lord Jesus in Later Years, writes, "A key attitude towards the onset of old age is acceptance that this is a natural part of human life. We need to accept it in all of its facets." Seeing that I am closer to my 63rd birthday than I am my 62nd, reading Prime's encouragement to accept growing older hit me squarely between the eyes (which, by the way, my eye doctor tells me I have the beginnings of cataracts in both eyes ... an all too usual happening for people who are in the older years!). Prime is right on! We need to accept the reality that with each passing year we are NOT getting any younger. And let me tell you, growing old is NOT for sissies! It really takes courage to face the challenges of aging. Accepting this reality is, I believe, a healthy step toward becoming a gracious old person vs. a grumpy one!
If you want some more guidance on growing older in a healthy way, I heartily recommend Prime's book. As Alistair Begg told the pastors at last year's Basic Conference, "No matter your age, you should buy this book and read it!" I hope some of you do!
2. Wednesday morning of this week, I had breakfast at a local restaurant. I was surprised when my server approached my table decked out in hunting camouflage with an inflatable turkey slung over her shoulder. Shortly afterwards, another server walked into the room decked out as Batwoman. Well, as you know, Wednesday was Halloween. I must admit I chuckled seeing two grown women dressed in costumes.
As I reflected on these two (and so many other adults who dressed in costumes and masks for their jobs), I was reminded of how too often we pretend to be something that we are not. There is a word for this ... "hypocrisy." For those of us who are following Jesus, there is no room for hypocrisy in our lives. Jesus calls us to be genuine. Not perfect, of course, but to be real. That means we need to be honest with others, and seek to align our practice with our faith. How about you? Do you claim Jesus as your Savior and Lord? If not, take a moment PLEASE and check out Two Ways to Live: The Choice We All Face. But if you do claim to belong to Jesus, are you striving to be a man and woman of integrity vs. pretending to have "it all together" when you really don't? As you go through your daily routine, just remember this simple formula: walk + talk = ONE!
Thanks for stopping by . . .
pj
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