Sixty-plus!

Whenever I began this blogging venture some 62 articles ago I used the Sixty-plus moniker as a way of setting some context for the stories that have unfolded. I will soon be sixty one years old and there are issues that face people as they grow older. The status of one’s health and ability to function and operate are very critical to a person’s sense of independence and mobility. However, one of the things that troubles me is how we in this society have made age along with nearly every other conceivable distinction an isolated unit requiring special interest status.

Now most immediately assume I am thinking about all of this because of my age. And, I have already admitted to paying more attention to my retirement statement and other articles and information that would be age appropriate at this phase in my life. But in all fairness this is not why I am expressing concern over the segmentation of our society by factors like age. I am supposed to speak again to our Church group called Onward Christian Seniors, OCS, tomorrow evening. It will be a continuation of my first session with them where I spoke about God’s plan for people including when they become what we call “seniors”.

I used to have people in my organization who retired a long time before they left to begin their official retirement. That’s the thing that gets me. We end up adopting a retirement mentality which causes many of us to behave in certain ways even though there’s very little rationale for doing so. The basis for truth for how we should conduct ourselves is found in the Scriptures, not our investments or portfolio. This is where I see the major disconnect. In God’s Word we have example after example of those who have become aged as leaders, and those who consult based on their vast knowledge, experience, and spiritual insight, and those who stand as examples for the younger ones coming up behind them.

In other words, as we grow older, if we feel alienated, or we think we have been set on the shelf, or disenfranchised in any way, it’s not because of God’s plan. His plan is for each of us who are believers, from the youngest to the eldest, is to complete the race He’s given to us. That race is our very own and He gets honor and glory from our being faithful when we pursue our very own race. But, hold on a minute! Society says something entirely different. Commercial advertising has a message that rejects this notion of older people continuing to be a part of the mainstream. And, saddest of all, most of our Churches perpetuate this notion of inability and incapability on the part of those who pass a certain age marker in their sojourn here.

I well remember how insulted I was the first piece of correspondence I received from A. A. R. P. I was barely 50 years old and I ripped that envelope and its contents to shreds. Why? I did not want to join this elite group where senior care products would become the topic of conversation in life. I’ll tell the OCS folks tomorrow night that we need to follow the Apostle Paul’s admonition from Romans chapter 12. There, via inspiration, he called on all Christians to see their lives transformed by the power of God versus becoming conformed or molded into the image that Satan and this world would have us to become. Yes, and he didn’t add any age restrictions on this calling and neither should we.

It’s easy for any of us who are no longer spring chicks to use all of these negatives to excuse ourselves from faithfully serving God. While everyone else will likely nod in agreement that they understand why we drop out when the odds are stacked against us, the real question is this: “Does God agree with us doing this?” That’s the question that really counts. Our answer will make a huge difference in how we finish our race. May we all be able to join the Apostle Paul in his declaration to his young helper Timothy, when he, at the end of his life said, “I have fought a good fight and I have finished my course (my race)”. What a challenge but well worth our going for it every day of our lives! Okay, enough preaching for one day. I do hope this day is a really great one for all who read my blog! More later……………..