A Life Worth Having Lived

My wife likes to giggle at my gray hairs. Particularly because those random grays seem, for some reason, to grow so much faster than the rest of my hair. This is especially true of my beard, where I've simply stopped pulling them out, because when I do, they simply come back and bring friends. I used to tell my kids I had named each of my gray hairs after one of them, except, now that I have more grays than children, that, too, is a losing battle.

As I've grown older (though I am still reasonably young), I've learned quite a bit about life -- at least, I like to think I have -- and about growing older. I've learned that aging isn't by itself a noble thing. Everyone ages: good or evil, wise or foolish. Where I once believed the old saw that "wisdom comes with age," I now understand that foolishness knows no expiration date.

Proverbs 16:31 says,

The silver-haired head is a crown of glory,
If it is found in the way of righteousness.

As a kid, I was made to understand the first part of this statement. Most of us were. "Respect your elders," we were told. But, as we read on, we see that age itself is not an indicator of worth or worthiness. Age is an indicator of the time we've spent on this planet. The value of our lives lies in what we've done with that time. If we have pursued God, and the Way of His Will, we have lived a life worth living. We have not wasted our days and years. We have made the most of what He has given us. If we have done that, we have earned those gray hairs in the best possible way, and they reflect the glory of a life well lived. 

I believe this is what Paul meant as he wrote to Timothy and reflected on the end of his own life. 

For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing. (2 Timothy 4:6-8)

A life given to God is a life worth living. And a life worth having lived.