The Christian Senior

Preparing for Graduation

The hoary head is a crown of glory, if it be found in the way of righteousness.—Proverbs 16:31

David Bruce

According to the laws of the United States, anyone who has reached the age of 65 is a "Senior Citizen." These may begin collecting full Social Security benefits, are eligible for Medicare which provides payment for many health care needs, and receive discounts on many goods and services. They may stop working and retire to a world of leisure and learn to relax. Sounds wonderful!

The word "senior" also may apply to those who have completed three years of high school or college. Such seniors look forward to the end of that phase of their schooling and to graduation. But some may find they lack enough credits to graduate. Then they must really work, skip their vacations, and spend their time catching up on the studies they either failed or did not bother to take during earlier years. This is not quite so wonderful. Instead of being able to relax, their situation is much the opposite.

What about a "Christian senior"? Christian seniors are not the ones contemplating idleness in a leisure world. They are certainly not retired in this sense, nor are they doing nothing. An age of 65 is not unreasonable for a Christian senior. "The days of our years are threescore years and ten; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labor and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away" (Psalm 90:10). The lesson of this fact is emphasized in verse 12, "So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom."

Nearing Graduation

The word "senior" as it applies to a student seems to be the best fit for a "Christian senior." These are approaching the period when they must examine themselves to see if they meet the requirements for graduation. Certain questions come to mind. Have we done all that we could? Have we made mistakes that can still be corrected? Can we better serve our brethren in our declining years? Is our "house in order"? We may have to cancel our plans for a family re- union or a trip to a popular vacation spot. We have work to do and it is later than we think. These are just a few of the things we may have to put aside, especially as seniors. We must go through all the experiences needed to graduate and learn our needed lessons.

If we are honest with ourselves, we will find we are like a student who does not have the needed credits to graduate. It is time to settle down and catch up. At times, terrible thoughts may come to mind: Maybe it is too late to get back into the race we once started. Perhaps the die is cast. What has happened to us? As seniors have we left it to others to "carry the torch"? It is so natural to let the younger ones do the things we used to do and feel that as we age we have the right to relax.

Don’t Give Up

Yet we must not judge ourselves too harshly. The apostle Paul speaks to us: "But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged of you, or of man’s judgment; yea, I judge not mine own self" (1 Corinthians 4:3). Paul is saying we are sometimes our own worst judges. We know ourselves so well that we may judge ourselves too harshly; we will become completely discouraged and just give up. We must not do this; it is the very trap that Satan loves to get us into.

Our God is a merciful God, he is patient with us, he is too wise to err. He would not have called us if we would fail the test of aging. James comforts us all by saying, "But this wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy" (James 3:17). He is reminding us that although we have slacked off a bit, our early years have taught us much. The apostle Paul writes, "For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labor of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister" (Hebrews 6:10).

Recalling the Memories

The past years—ah! what memories they have for us! We older ones have memories that cannot be bought with money. They’re worth MILLIONS. Those were the days when we might have helped our parents put on a Photo-Drama presentation—helping, perhaps, to carry the equipment into a rented hall, and the phonograph with the record of Bro. Russell’s voice explaining the pictures.

There were the tracting parties when we were given a map and went from house to house, putting a tract in a doorway or handing it to someone on a porch. We went up one street and down another until we had covered the territory that had been assigned to us. We always went in pairs, one on one side of the street and one on the other. We kept a watch on each other, ready to help in case of a dog, or if a person, objecting to our tract, would tell us to "Get out!" When we came to an apartment house we would go to the top floor and work down.

There are memories of far-away conventions (any place over 20 miles was "far away") reached in a Model "T" or later a Model "A." We always had to worry about flat tires and mechanical problems. But nonetheless, it was always an exciting time.

Then times changed. The "Society" placed great emphasis on selling books, and there seemed to be a new one every year. But a few old timers (of that day) got us back on track. The truth was once more the important thing, plus searching for whatever "wheat" might remain. Radio took the place of the Photo-Drama, then television, and now computer internet web sites are the new modern way to "bring in the sheaves."

Now What?

As seniors it is important to keep in mind the words of the apostle Paul: "For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labor of love, which ye have showed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints and do minister" (Hebrews 6:10).

The vital part is the last phrase "and do minister." We cannot rest on our laurels. We must do what we can. Even though we may not have much strength, we must go on. The old bones may tire more easily and we may not necessarily hear everything (perhaps because people do not speak as clearly as they once did). We may not be able to cook meals and entertain as in the days of old. We may have to have the food catered at our conventions and the visitors may stay at motels and hotels. But if we have financial ability, perhaps we can subsidize a part of the cost.

The Example of Jesus

When Jesus knew his time was short, he did not rest by taking a vacation. He kept on doing what he was sent to do. He organized his apostles, he taught the disciples, he added to their faith, he opened the Scriptures to them, he prayed for them. Most importantly he did not think of self. Beginning in John 14 he told his followers of the days to come when he would not be with them. He would send a comforter. He told John to take care of his mother. He was not thinking of self, but of others. He was going to prepare a place for them. What a comfort that was to them and still is to us. What an example he left us, as seniors, to follow him and do what we still can do until he calls us home—until we graduate.

As seniors we must follow the example he left us. "For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps" (1Peter 2:21).

Jesus did not live to be a senior in the same sense that some of us have by reaching an old age. But with all he had to endure, it took a great toll on his life and strength which few of us have had to experience. He packed into his 33 years more than enough to fill an ordinary lifetime of ours consisting of seventy or more years. In the last 40 days with his disciples, between his resurrection and his ascension, he reminded his disciples of the prophecies of Moses and all the prophets, that THE Christ (including his body members) also must suffer, and then enter into a state of glory.

Using Our Talents

Those of us who feel, especially in our latter years, that we have so little talent, should rejoice! The person with few talents has in some respects a better opportunity to make his calling and election sure. Solomon was undoubtedly wise in his request of the Lord: "Give me neither poverty or riches" (Proverbs 30:8). In other words, perhaps the two-talented servant would have a natural advantage of being neither so likely to be discouraged or puffed up with pride.

A person with five talents has the responsibility of keeping all of them fully employed, fully devoted, and fully separated from worldly ambitions. If we are a five-talented person, we need to pray for and exercise even more diligence in the use of our gifts, "for unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more" (Luke 12:48).

"Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee" (1 Timothy 4:14); "Stir up the gift of God, which is in thee" (2 Timothy 1:6). "Every good gift, and every perfect gift, is from above and cometh down from the Father of lights, in whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning" (James 1:17). "As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God" (1 Peter 4:10).

Therefore, my dear brethren, "Be thou faithful unto death and I will give thee a crown of life" (Revelation 3:10). That is the promise. May we, who cherish and love it, be found worthy.