Walking with the Wise #260: The Blessing of Time
“Gray hair is a crown of glory;
it is gained in a righteous life.”
—Proverbs 16:31
The greatest difficulty of the Christian life comes by following Christ over time. Through the years, I have met many Christ-followers and have noticed that several possess a great deal of zeal at first, whereby they witness to family and friends, attend church frequently, read the Bible faithfully, and take great risks for the kingdom. But inevitably, it will become difficult and problems will mount. Trouble, persecution, and the mundane complexities of life come about, making following Christ difficult, inconvenient, and downright hard. I have found that it is by persevering through life’s hills and valleys that one’s commitment to Christ is amplified. Glory does not come to the flash-in-the-pan disciples who have zeal without knowledge, but by the abiding embers of those who over time have added knowledge to their zeal.
The book of Proverbs starts off by addressing a young man (Proverbs 4:9), instructing him to honor wisdom and expect the reward of a life well lived. Here the “crown of glory” comes through gray, not as though gray hair were any reward in itself (I know many men and women who have purchased hair dye, disputing that fact!), but that long life (which is here represented by gray hair) is. A long life is a reward for living a life that is pleasing to God. Frequently, Proverbs presents two ways of living—one that leads to life, as today's proverb addresses, and the second that leads to death (Proverbs 16:25). Not that everyone who lives a life pleasing to God gets a long life. Jesus led a life more pleasing than anyone who has ever lived, and He died in His early 30’s. The purpose of today’s proverb is to present a general truth that whoever seeks to live a life to honor God will himself be honored by God in the granting many years and the blessing of knowing the generations that follow.
Which path are you on? The one that leads to life or to death? Have you made any effort to supplement your zeal with knowledge? Are you ready to give in or give up? Don’t! Keep on the path of life, for you will be rewarded if you do not give up! It might be with length of days on earth, but ultimately it will be the reward of eternity in the presence of Him who is our hearts' delight! Follow Christ, and remember that it is by persevering that God’s blessing will come! Amen.
—Proverbs 16:31
The greatest difficulty of the Christian life comes by following Christ over time. Through the years, I have met many Christ-followers and have noticed that several possess a great deal of zeal at first, whereby they witness to family and friends, attend church frequently, read the Bible faithfully, and take great risks for the kingdom. But inevitably, it will become difficult and problems will mount. Trouble, persecution, and the mundane complexities of life come about, making following Christ difficult, inconvenient, and downright hard. I have found that it is by persevering through life’s hills and valleys that one’s commitment to Christ is amplified. Glory does not come to the flash-in-the-pan disciples who have zeal without knowledge, but by the abiding embers of those who over time have added knowledge to their zeal.
The book of Proverbs starts off by addressing a young man (Proverbs 4:9), instructing him to honor wisdom and expect the reward of a life well lived. Here the “crown of glory” comes through gray, not as though gray hair were any reward in itself (I know many men and women who have purchased hair dye, disputing that fact!), but that long life (which is here represented by gray hair) is. A long life is a reward for living a life that is pleasing to God. Frequently, Proverbs presents two ways of living—one that leads to life, as today's proverb addresses, and the second that leads to death (Proverbs 16:25). Not that everyone who lives a life pleasing to God gets a long life. Jesus led a life more pleasing than anyone who has ever lived, and He died in His early 30’s. The purpose of today’s proverb is to present a general truth that whoever seeks to live a life to honor God will himself be honored by God in the granting many years and the blessing of knowing the generations that follow.
Which path are you on? The one that leads to life or to death? Have you made any effort to supplement your zeal with knowledge? Are you ready to give in or give up? Don’t! Keep on the path of life, for you will be rewarded if you do not give up! It might be with length of days on earth, but ultimately it will be the reward of eternity in the presence of Him who is our hearts' delight! Follow Christ, and remember that it is by persevering that God’s blessing will come! Amen.
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