Practice Wisdom all your Life

“A poor but wise youth is better than an old but foolish king who will no longer accept correction.” Ecclesiastes 4:13 ISV

In a story published by Canadian Running Magazine on Wednesday, the writer said “If you think you’ve seen it all in running, think again. On Wednesday, the men’s 70+ one-mile American record holder, Robert Qualls of Reno, Nev., was suspended for three years for violating U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) rules after testing positive for multiple prohibited substances. The 72-year-old tested positive for amphetamine and 19-norandrosterone (19-NA), a metabolite of nandrolone (19-nortestosterone), and other 19-norsteroids from a urine sample collected at the USATF Masters 5K Championships on Feb. 24, where he won his men’s 70-74 division. Amphetamine is classified as a stimulant, while nandrolone and testosterone are classified as anabolic agents. All these substances are prohibited according to the World Anti-Doping Agency Prohibited List.” Qualls won’t be eligible to compete again until 2027, when he will be 75. I don’t know about you, but this story had me shaking my head. Quall showed that the length of one’s years doesn’t always mean they gained wisdom.

And you know, in the three verses aptly titled “There’s No Fool Like an Old Fool,” contained in the book of Proverbs, Solomon observed that a “poor but wise” young person was better off than an “old but foolish king” who would no longer accept correction. You see, in a time when the aged were expected to be wise because of the understanding they had gained throughout the years, an old person who wouldn’t take advice and behaved recklessly was seen as more nonsensical, stupid, and senseless than a young person who acted in the same way because the young person hadn’t lived long enough to gain the wisdom that was supposed to come with old age. 

So as we get older, let us vow to live wisely and apply the lessons we learn along the way my friend. In this way, we will avoid being called and a fool and will be known as people of integrity instead. 

Heavenly Father, thank You for the lessons You teach us through the Word and the world around us. Help us to be good students throughout our lifetime and to gladly accept correction so that we will not fall into the trap of acting foolishly. It’s in your precious name we pray Jesus. Amen.  

Happy Running!