When The Grey Hair Is Not.
Job 32:7,9
NIV
I thought, ‘Age should speak; advanced years should teach wisdom.’ [9] It is not only the old who are wise, not only the aged who understand what is right.
I was confronted recently by a young man who expressed disappointment with a verdict /judgement pronounced by an adult in a case brought before him
I asked why? He said the evidence and facts do not support the judgement! I was torn between silence and saying something; I chose the former -silence.
It was there that the above verses of scripture came to mind. “Age should speak; advanced years should teach wisdom.’ “
These were part of the words spoken by a younger person who sat with elders to deliberate on the case of Job. He initially admitted that his age made him sit silently, but reflecting on what they said, made him spring into action ;
Read it ;
Job 32:6-7,14
NIV
So Elihu son of Barakel the Buzite said: “I am young in years, and you are old; that is why I was fearful, not daring to tell you what I know.
[7] I thought, ‘Age should speak; advanced years should teach wisdom.’
Many a young person has sat quietly in the midst of the elderly at meetings listening to them, only to come out very much disappointed just like this young friend and that referred to in this passage.
Surely, age should speak and advanced years should teach wisdom! But does it happen very often? That’s the question.
What most aged men don’t know is this , when you are advanced in years you shed off biases and partisanship! You take a neutral position ;
It is when you do this that the saying;
“ Age should speak; advanced years should teach wisdom.’” becomes real.
Unfortunately, this is not so with the majority of aged men; they continue in their biases and prejudices; as a result, they lose respect!
I personally know some whose biases have stuck to them like glue although they are aged. As a result, their pronouncements are ignored with contempt
.
I guess this was what transpired hence the young man’s disappointment with the verdict of the aged at the meeting!
When you are old you become or rather must be objective in your thoughts and analysis of issues; many years on earth should teach wisdom!
Even the secular world recognises this and calls some “ senior citizens ”
Our country is unfortunately suffering because it is lacking in unbiased senior citizens. Everything is seen through party lenses, so much so that if something is right/wrong one can not say so for fear of party backlash.
When you age, you must rise above petty biases; these are part of youthful culture; as Paul said
1 Corinthians 13
KJV
11 When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.
Biases , prejudices, favouritism, etc are part of “ childish ways “ ! If you grow with them into your old age they make you dishonest and untruthful!
And unfortunately such are many an aged among us.
A word to the wise.