We know we’re getting older when we say things like, “Can you believe
how young those professional baseball players are?” And it’s a sure sign of
aging when we no longer ask, “How are you?” but say, “Hey, you look
terrific”—as if we’re surprised.
Aging is inevitable. Unfortunately, society has taught us to fear
advancing age and to disguise its reality as much as possible. But aging can
actually be a wonderful thing. Followers of Jesus have the capacity to get
significantly better with age. As Paul put it: “Even though our outward man is
perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day” (2 Cor. 4:16).
Just as there are physical signs that reveal we’re getting older, there
are signs that show we are getting better. Rather than becoming more crotchety,
intolerant, and unloving, the maturing follower of Jesus grows better at
forgiving, loving, and caring. Growing older is a continuation of the journey
to become more like Jesus, which means that as time goes on our heart and
attitudes should increasingly resonate with and reflect the compelling
character and winsome ways of our Savior.
So as we grow older, let’s embrace the opportunity to become spiritually
more like Jesus.
Our friends will notice that we look better with age. RBC
