“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.” (Joshua 1:9, NIV 1984).
My Musings – “I want you to know that also I will not make age an issue of this campaign. I am not going to exploit, for political purposes, my opponent’s youth and inexperience.” (Ronald Reagan, during the Second Presidential Debate against Walter Mondale on October 21, 1984). He would be 74 on inauguration day. I remember his age was an issue when he ran for his first term at a mere 69. During his second term he quipped, ” I did turn 75 today – but remember, that’s only 24 Celsius.” He was 78 when he left office.
When Barack Obama won the Presidency, a man younger than me, I was convinced I had seen my last President that was older than me. I’ve been wrong twice since then. Seems like we are constantly weighing “youth and inexperience” (it was a huge issue during John F. Kennedy’s campaign) against age and wisdom (we now know President Reagan was suffering early-stage Alzheimer’s before he left office). Of course, youth does not always imply inexperience and vigor any more than age always implies wisdom and decline. It’s true that “you cannot judge a book by its cover.”
To the Ronald Reagans of this life – “So here I [Caleb] am today, eighty-five years old! I am still as strong today as the day Moses sent me out; I’m just as vigorous to go out to battle now as I was then.” (Joshua 14:10–11, NIV 1984).
To the John Kennedy’s of this life – “Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity. Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to preaching and to teaching. Do not neglect your gift.” (1 Timothy 4:12–14, NIV 1984).
My Advice – “Wherever you go.” Sadly, not all of us go on to old age. President Kennedy was the youngest President ever elected to that point, but also the youngest to leave office (his life cut short by an assassin’s bullets). Just as sad, many who do go on to old age are just as inexperienced and naive as when they were in their youth. Learn from each and every experience God allows in your life. Do not feel like you are too young to begin serving Him, or too old to stop serving Him. “[Has He] not commanded you?“
The Brew Is A Musing 