“The glory of young men is their strength, gray hair the splendor of the old.”
The author of this passage also wrote “vanity of vanities” in Ecclesiastes. That phrase means the most worthless of all worthless things. Finding glory or splendor in things like personal strength or gray hair can seem a bit frivolous when viewed through the lens of God, spirituality, and eternity. In this verse, Solomon reminds us that there are different stages of life, and with those stages or seasons come different conditions and situations. He encourages us to respect both young men’s vigor and old men’s wisdom. The real power of the Kingdom of God is revealed when they work together. When my youngest grandson shows up at the house, the first thing he does is walk over to my trash cans. He looks to see if they’re full, and if they are, he pulls out the trash bag, ties it up, sets it by the door, and puts a new bag in the trash can. He does that because his fingers work a little better than mine, and he knows it’s a great help to his old grandfather. As followers of Jesus, we are all called to discover where we serve best with the gifts and talents we have within the body of Christ. Then we faithfully fill the role we’ve been given and complement those with different gifts and talents. Paul talks about the body and how each part needs the others. Today, appreciate those who have different gifts and talents, and be sure you serve them with the gifts and talents God has given you. #BeTheEdge
“There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them.” 1 Corinthians 12:4 NIV
