Promises of Youth

I know what George Bernard Shaw was attempting to say when talking about youth being wasted on the young.  Young people are in the best of health, their minds are clear and sharp, they're dreams are only as far away as their imagination can carry them.  I wonder if wisdom were given to the young, and health were given to the old, where would we be?  Seventy year olds' would be bungee cording, screaming "cowabunga", while the teenager looked on in horrified disbelief.  I would hazard to say the Lord made us this way for a reason.  I don't know the reason, but I'm certain He does. Even the rock band America knew what they were talking about in their song Tin Man, "But Oz never did give nothing to the Tin Man that he didn't, didn't already have."   The Lord did equip us, from day one, with the elements of a sturdy foundation and the knowledge for our time.  It is up to us to build on that Godly foundation and make it stronger. Experience seems to be the best architect for accomplishing that.  How does one explain to a twenty year old that time will take it's toll? That in the twinkling of an eye your knees will begin to ache, and your mind will become foggy when trying to remember dates and names, and when dressing, donning the latest fashion is last on the important to do list.   I suppose we can't explain these changes to the youth for only in the living it can one learn the hard lessons that are inevitably distributed to us, whether we want them or not.  In youth, we are impatient. It's all about instant gratification.  In middle age, we learn to take deep breaths allowing us time to contemplate decisions.  In youth, we have all the time in the world. The days are an unending beach of sand. In old age, the world is short on time, and days pass quickly by like the ticking of a clock.  


I am glad to be through the age of indiscretion. Youth still holds some appeal when it comes to energy and less aches and pains, but I am not disillusioned in the discoveries of aging, for it brings a wiser more "grown-up" me, whom I like a whole lot more than my youthful counterpart.  I will still carry with me my childlike faith and amazement of creation, a love for anything Disney and The Muppets (see video below) and cotton-candy, but I hope I have set aside my childish ways.


^{Matthew 10:16}  “Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless as doves." 

Isaiah 40:29-31

²⁹ He gives power to the weak,
And to those who have no might He increases strength.
³⁰ Even the youths shall faint and be weary,
And the young men shall utterly fall,
³¹ But those who wait on the Lord
Shall renew their strength;
They shall mount up with wings like eagles,
They shall run and not be weary,
They shall walk and not faint.