In the Musical Gigi, Maurice Chevalier made that startling statement, "I'm glad I'm not young anymore." Naturally, if you're a golden oldie, you can identify with that. The alternative, of course, is death. It's all a case of mind over matter. If you don't mind, it doesn't matter! So, we ask does age matter?

British mystery writer Agatha Christi is not deterred by it. She declared that her husband was not the inspiration for her writings. "He's an archeologist, " she mused. "But that's great, because the older I get, the more interested he gets in me." Take heart, folks, for God particularly appreciates senior citizens. After all, whom did he place at Moses' side to assist him? Elders (older folks, in case that is just a title in your mind), Numbers 11:26. Definitely not "youngers (?)" Once when some Mormon lads showed up at my front door in South Africa introducing themselves as "elders," I countered their introduction  with "No, I believe you are youngers."  Whom did the Spirit of God appoint to be overseers of His church? Elders, Acts 20:28. Wisdom comes with age--with living a long time. There is no substitute for experience. You can't buy it. You can't have a transfusion of it. No one can give it to you. After one attends the college of knowledge, he has to graduate from the University of Hard Knocks to get the Diploma of Maturity. There is no shortcut to the kingdom of smart decisions. Of course, it takes time to grow old, but, unfortunately, you can remain immature all your life. Though it is said that you can't teach an old dog new tricks, we are never too old too learn. Of course, sometimes an oversized ego gets in the way and blurs our vision.

Myths about old age abound. One is that old folks have outlived their usefulness. That is baloney!  I wish I had space to talk of all the superior contributions that people considered to be "old" by the populus, have made to life. Here comes the big one: "The righteous will flourish like a palm tree, they will grow like a Cedar in Lebanon; planted in the house of the Lord, they will flourish in the courts of our God. THEY WILL BEAR FRUIT IN OLD AGE, they will stay fresh and green, proclaiming, 'The Lord is upright; He is my rock, and there is no wickedness in Him.'"  My mother-in-law, Winnie Whitaker, once had an astute and amusing  observation on this. She said, "Old age is always ten years older than you are!" Now you know! Aging does not makes us useless in the kingdom of God. on the contrary, it enhances our usefulness!

Even though the Bible says, "A little child shall lead them," Isaiah 11:6, we know that Rehoboam lost the major part of his kingdom because he ignored age-related wisdom and fell in with youthful folly (1 Kings 12:6- 19). All ages make their own unique contribution to the

kaleidoscope called life, but age and maturity give that rare commodity called wisdom. So, to the youthful among us, I say, "Enjoy your enrolment in the University of Hard Knocks--it is a learning experience!" Ha! To those with snow on the mountain, I say, "Keep on keeping on. You are one of our most valuable resources. We already owe so much to you. We look to you for the wisdom you have gleaned from the Word of God and years of living in a tough world," Proverbs 16:31; 20:29.  All ages are so precious in His sight. Jesus' death for young and old and all in between proves that, doesn't it? Love you all,  Al -- the "Horne" of Africa. 

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