For All Ages

By Robert W. Blackshear

[Page 124]

     It has been said that "the elderly person depends upon age and experience as prerequisites for honor and esteem; the youthful person upon intelligence." The truth is that none of these traits are mutually exclusive of the others for enhancing honor and favor. All are estimable. What is so tragic is that many (both old and young) will not condescend to those who do not possess the above qualities. Thus there is a gap between the young and old in the world, and, what is even worse, in the body of Christ.

     The body of Christians in Corinth was divisive in many ways, but a divisive factor which really stands out is the attitude that "My talents and abilities are superior to yours." I suspect some of the young in that congregation were straining at the bit, and the older probably holding back. In any event, there was a lack of love and patience about which Paul said:

     "On the contrary, it is much truer that the members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary; and those members of the body which we deem less honorable, on these we bestow more abundant honor, and our unseemly members come to have more abundant seemliness, whereas our seemly members have no need of it. But God has so composed the body, giving more abundant honor to that member which lacked, that there should be no division in the body, but that the members should have the same care one for another" (1 Corinthians 12:22-25. N.A.S.B.)

     Paul is not only speaking of the old and young, but of the adroit and the incapacitated. To all of the brethren I would share Romans 12:16, "Be of the same mind toward one another, do not be haughty in mind, but associate with the lowly. Do not be wise in your own estimation."

     To the youth I would admonish, from 1 Peter 5:5, "You younger...likewise, be subject to your elders." And from the same passage, for all, "And all of you clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, for 'God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace (favor) to the humble.'"

     With so many congregations which are not doing anything constructive and are turning inward, it is "par for the course" to try and impress one another by comparing themselves among themselves instead of to express love which turns them outward to the needs of others. The result of the impressing is division because of carnal competition; the results of the expressing are the realization of true unity and spiritual as well as numerical growth.

     The older brethren accuse the younger of being too impetuous and impulsive. The younger accuse the older brethren, by saying, "One of the reasons mature people stop learning is that they become less and less willing to risk failure." Both of these accusations are applicable to most congregations. However, just being right is not always the best glue to use in keeping us together. One may win the argument, but may possibly lose himself--forever (1 Cor. 3:17).

     So the message to all ages is the same one which Peter learned from Jesus as He washed this apostle's feet so many years ago--you have to be big enough to be little enough. It is in this we invoke the favor that counts--divine favor!