How to Grow Old

"When Joshua had grown old, the LORD said to him, 'You are now very old, and there are still very large areas of land to be taken over.' " -Joshua 13:1

In his new book, Nearing Home: Life, Faith, and Finishing Well, the Reverend Billy Graham says "All my life I've been taught how to die, but no one ever taught me how to grow old." Graham, who turns 93 in November, continues to write, even as he deals with symptoms similar to Parkinson's Disease and macular degeneration.

Graham has been a great inspiration for many of us, inspiring us to turn our hearts toward salvation through faith in Jesus Christ. His personable, direct manner of speaking coupled with a genuine humility made him one of the most powerful evangelical voices of the 20th century, inspiring countless Christians and ministers over the decades.

I appreciated Graham's message, and continue to hold him in highest respect. There are certain people who, by their single witness, can transcend the sorrowful stories of those who fell from grace publicly, and cast a shadow against the faith they professed. Last night I was reminded of how much influence a single person can have against an overwhelming world when I read an old African proverb, roughly translated to “If you think you’re too small to make a difference, try sleeping in a room with a mosquito.”

A single voice can indeed make an enormous difference in the world, and Graham has provided a steady stream of thoughts to lead us to salvation. We all should be so inspirational.

Lately, I have become increasingly aware of this thing called aging. My mother, who is the same age as Graham, lies in a skilled nursing facility as she tries to recover from a hip injury two weeks ago. Her mental state is deteriorating, suffering not only from dementia, but the debilitating fears and low self-esteem she has held throughout her life. More than once she has expressed to me her fear of death, and I have tried to help her understand that her faith in Jesus Christ is sufficient for her to have everlasting life. I fear that her mental state is too far beyond her ability to understand, but I pray that she can somehow find comfort.

My daughter too, jokes that now she is in her thirties, she has noticed a tendency to go to bed at more reasonable hours than the late nights she used to embrace just ten years ago. She pokes fun at herself saying, well, gee, it's getting close to nine o'clock... time to head home so I can get to bed by ten... what is happening to me!?"

And this year, I turned sixty, though many who know me think I continue to act far more immaturely than a person my age should! Still, my life is quieter now, and more concerned with quiet nights with my wife than going out for good times. I adamantly fight against acting old, and perhaps in doing so, appear more foolish than I should.

Yes, growing old gracefully is an art that few people know, and even fewer can teach. As we age, our world has become more complex, with technology quickly outpacing our ability to keep up, and world situations that constantly remind us of our mortality. Gradually we, as a society, are forfeiting our dignity, sovereignty, and self-reliance for a state that provides more intrusion, less reward for accomplishment, and dependent on institutions that have doubtful futures.

We are living longer, but we are unable to sustain our longer life spans. We risk less, and fear more.

Learning how to age is going to be a challenge, and so I got to thinking: why don't we share together ways to survive. I want you to write to me, and tell me ways you are dealing with aging. I will continue to write about it, and give you ideas from my own experience. If it helps you, I am glad. I can tell you now, it will help me. I have a couple of thoughts, and I hope to share them with you over the next few weeks.

For now, I encourage you to enjoy life, and take every opportunity to savor the blessings of today. Revel in them, and examine them in depth. Consider why those things please you, inspire you, and touch your heart. Remember that at whatever age you are, God is not finished with you, neither in this life, or the next. His interest in you is infinite, and wants you to experience life to the fullest.

Hang tough, dear readers, and be content. Even as we age, God had plans for us. We have large lands ahead for us.