Personally, the title is a concept, philosophy, belief, etc. I try and live by. Then again… I believe that age is only a number. Old, on the other hand, I believe is a mindset. Which, when put together, the two mean that physical age and old may not be related. I have believed for a long time that ‘old’ reflected the person, not their age. We’ve all met people who were old long before their age defined them. And, we’ve met chronologically older people who still have a young person’s view of life.
All that leads to definitions, because they describe what the word ‘looks’ like. So… what is ‘old’? When I consulted Webster, it isn’t a positive word and gives the impression of worthless (my interpretation). However, scripture verses about old, old age may not be what you think…
“May He (the Lord) also be to you one who restores life and sustains your old age;” (Ruth 4:15, AMP)
“(God speaking to the house of Jacob and Israel) Even to your old age I am He, And even to your advanced old age I will carry you! I have made you, and I will carry you; Be assured I will carry you and I will save you.”
(Isaiah 46:4, AMP)“Therefore we do not become discouraged [spiritless, disappointed, or afraid]. Though our outer self is [progressively] wasting away, yet our inner self is being [progressively] renewed day by day.” (2 Corinthians 4:16, AMP)
There are over 100 verses that speak to old, old age, etc. the three I am sharing reinforce the positive aspects of (old) age being a positive. (See also Job 32:7). I especially enjoy the verses that talk about the Father being involved in our ‘old age’. However, the point really is you – how do you view ‘old’? Does ‘old’ describe who you are? Is ‘old’ a positive? negative? What is old!?
If I believe that ‘old’ is a mindset, then how do I define this? Bottom line is that the definition really isn’t at fault, isn’t in error – it’s the presumption that age is the definer of old. So what is an ‘old’ mindset? There are a number of descriptors such as: fearful, unwilling to risk, feeling that continuing to grow is not all that important, not willing to ‘think out of the box’ – in other words, there is almost a fear but definitely unwillingness to change or accept change. ‘Don’t rock the boat’ is the MO.
However, this is not our design. Our design is to embrace life not try and control it. And we are not alone, left to our own devices:
“Who will separate us from the love of [a]Christ? Will tribulation, or trouble, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword?
…
But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who
loved us.” (Romans 8:35, 37, AMP)
The Word keeps telling us:
“…I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. I know how to get along with little, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need. I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.” (Philippians 4:11-13, AMP)
Those verses do NOT describe ‘old’? They describe someone who knows that they can live a life that is full and fruitful.
