Gray hair is a glorious crown;
it is found in the ways of righteousness. (Proverbs 16:31)
Have you ever watched an episode of Kids Say the Darndest Things? The comments, observations, and insights from these children can be witty, honest, and down-right hilarious. I would even venture to say that older people have some pretty interesting comments that they have picked up over a lifetime of living on earth. I remember awhile back, my wife and I were doing some yard work for her grandmother in a predominantly older neighborhood. A talkative neighbor came by to make small-talk with us. He said the best decision he ever made was to not color or darken his white hair. My wife asked him, “Why?” His response, once he had all this white hair, everyone would start listening to what he said, whether he was right or wrong. No one would argue with him. He said by looking old, he got instant respect.
Today’s Proverb says “gray hair is a glorious crown”. Ancient cultures were sensible enough to honor and value the wisdom and experience of old age. This is a badge of honor for older people. It is a change in a person’s appearance that God ordained in hair color to indicate age, maturity and experience. Being older should mean one has greater wisdom, holiness, love of Christ, and godly example. But this is not automatically a given.
The second part of this Proverb says, “it is found in the ways of righteousness”. It isn’t age itself that brings a crown of glory to a person, but age in the ways of righteousness. Since we aren’t getting younger, we should all strive for this crown of glory. But how can we do it? We can grow in the ways of righteousness by making the most of the opportunities that God gives us every day. We need to convince ourselves to make every day count. Look for ways to grow in your trust and reliance in Jesus. Look for ways to bless a family member, a friend, or even a stranger. We need to learn from our mistakes and go to God’s word for guidance, strength, and purpose. What will you do today, to help make your days on earth count for God’s glory?