Age-ism

“Wisdom is with aged men, and with length of days, understanding. With Him are wisdom and strength, He has counsel and understanding.” Job 12:12-13

Please indulge me in my self-talk. Perhaps it will speak to you as it spoke to me.

I’ve recently come across two mentions of feeling “too old” to start or learn something new, or to finish something that had been started. Maybe it is the feeling that finishing a thing won’t matter to anyone—that being forgotten is just around the corner, and who will care? But I realize this demeans and diminishes the life I’ve been given by God. It names His call on my life “unfulfilled, undone, unimportant.”

The word coined for this thought of being too old is “ageism.” It is a box we put ourselves in, and which society nails securely shut. I suppose it applies to the “too young” as well, which Paul soundly reversed with his teaching to Timothy about not allowing others to despise his youth. Despising the youth—despising the aged—it’s all the same. What could the young know that is of relevance to the aged? What could the aged know that is of any relevance to the youth? We live in vastly different “worlds,” or cultures. We seem to speak a different language.

Of course, I must look at what ageism has done to me personally, so that I can fight against that mindset in myself. Has God gifted me? Yes. Has He called me to do certain things? Yes. Has He enabled me to do things? Has He given me all things that I need to accomplish His will? Yes and yes.

Most importantly—am I dead yet? Is my life over? No. Did I finish what He called me to do? No. So this is where I land as a Christian—a blood-bought, gifted woman, called by God Almighty to accomplish His purposes on earth, however insignificant, impossible, improbable, or unfruitful they may seem to my earth-addled mind. When I am done, then He will take me home. If I wake up in the morning, then I am not done.

Ageism might be a thing—but it won’t be my thing. I have decided to follow Jesus through this life and right on into the kingdom (when He says I am done.)

Father, only You can enable us to do Your will—ever, at any age. I thank You for long life and a long time to do what You’ve asked… and I thank You for those younger who also have vital callings and ministries from You. Help us not to make excuses for our inaction, but to be faithful until the end. All true wisdom and strength, counsel and understanding, come from You. Amen.