Serve God in Every Season

“The glory of the young is their strength; the gray hair of experience is the splendor of the old.” Proverbs 20:29 NLT

In a story published by abc Newsom Wednesday, the writer said: Gray-haired Olympians are usually found in sports like sailing, shooting, and equestrian. Not on the track. Irish sprinter Thomas Barr is an exception. Having turned gray prematurely in his late teens, the now 32-year-old Barr hardly pays much attention to his hair color these days. Others do, though. After Barr ran the third leg of Ireland’s winning 4x400-meter mixed relay at the European Championships in June — the country’s first gold at Euros in more than a quarter century — competitors made references to his hair color when they came up to congratulate him. “When they were saying, ‘Well done,’ they were saying that I’m the golden oldie. And I like that one,” Barr told The Associated Press in an interview after the relay in Rome. “I started turning gray when I was probably 18 or 19. I’ve been asked why I haven’t dyed it. But I’m probably just too lazy to even do that.”

And you know, in a world that seems to value youth more than old age, it’s no wonder that Thomas was asked why he hadn’t dyed his hair to appear younger. Thankfully, the Bible reminds us that every person will have a season of youth and a season of old age—and both are of equal value and importance. David Guzik explains it this way, “God has so designed human development that young men excel in physical strength, and this is a glory to them. It is wise and suitable for young men to take on tasks that fit this glory. The splendor of old men is their gray head: What the old men lack in physical strength, they should make up for in wisdom that is appropriate for those who have a gray head.” 

So whatever season you’re in, rejoice my friend. God has a special job for you at every age. Serve God with all your strength when you’re young and then use the wisdom gained from your life experiences to serve Him when you’re old. 

Heavenly Father, thank You for reminding us that service to You looks different at every age. If we are old, help us to mentor the next generation to pass on our wisdom to benefit the church. And if we are young, put us into position to use our strength to build up the church. Remind us that we never retire from service, we only transition into a new job. It’s in your precious name we pray Jesus. Amen. 

Happy Running!