The Benefits of Aging! (Or, Getting on the Beach for Free!)

This past week I turned 62!  As I mentioned to a number of people, the best part of doing so is that I now get on the beach for free here in Long Branch, NJ. In fact, on my birthday I went to the beach in the afternoon and told the teenager who was checking for badges that I had my seasonal badge in my backpack, but that it was my birthday and had just turned 62. She kindly said, “Happy Birthday! You’re good to go!”  In other words, I no longer need a badge to get on the beach! I guess there are some benefits to getting older.   

Do the benefits of getting older outweigh the challenges? After all, there are things I am facing in my body that I never had to deal with before. Keeping my body in shape is a little harder than it once was.  And, there seem to be new challenges at every turn, challenges that are the result of the aging process. Yet, there are also a lot of good things that come with age: becoming a grandfather, watching my children flourish, the growth in my relationship with my wife Kim, the perspective on life that only years can bring—and of course, getting on the beach for free (and maybe a bunch of other benefits like that one!).  

I actually think that the perspective that comes with age is one of the best benefits of the aging process. We might also call it wisdom. For, as one moves through the years and decades, life becomes a bit clearer. Many things we once thought were so important are no longer deemed as such. Things that we once neglected begin to rise to the surface. The decisions we make are made with new understanding. Our relationships become a bit more cherished. Our material possessions become a little less cherished. And, most importantly, we really do begin to realize that all of life, including our own lives, is temporary and that we must prepare ourselves for eternity. 

The psalmist wrote, “Our days may come to seventy years,  or eighty, if our strength endures…Teach us to number our days,  that we may gain a heart of wisdom.” (Psalm 90:10, 12 – NIV)  That is, as we come to understand the brevity of life, we as well understand the necessity of living every day filled with wisdom—i.e., making good decisions, being a blessing to others, and investing in our relationship with God and in his kingdom. 

So, at 62 years old (which I know is not really that old!), I am asking God to give me the benefit of wisdom that I may not have had in my younger years. And in fact, no matter our age it’s probably a good thing to ask God for wisdom beyond our years. 

“Blessed are those who find wisdom, those who gain understanding….” (Proverbs 2:13 – NIV)

Have a great day! 

- Pastor Tim Harris