Some days I’m acutely aware that I’m not twenty-something anymore. The last time I helped someone move (and I do mean the last time, God willing!) I was the self-appointed packer, doing the Tetris thing, filling a U-Haul truck from floor to ceiling. I’d stood far too long precariously perched atop stacked possessions, awkwardly twisting for the next item someone would hand me. My son Josh (who’s probably helped as many people move as Noah had animals on the ark) asked if I wanted to take a break and switch places. I didn’t even consider it. Sure, I was tired, but I could handle it. Besides, I was really good at this. I wasn’t sure anyone else could do it as well. (Such humility.) I wish I’d listened. Within an hour I crawled down with screaming back pain so bad I could barely move. It took a month for my back to recover from what I’d done to it.
Aging well involves deliberate effort to maintain physical strength, flexibility, and health. Youths can eat whatever, pull all-nighters, not floss their teeth, and get away with it for a time. But as we get older we find we need to take better care of our bodies. The price rises for being sloppy in eating, exercise, or sleep. So now I do some of those things we all know we should do…I exercise (and sweat) before work in the morning, walk a lot more, eat better, take care of my teeth, and try to get enough sleep. Could I finally be growing up?
As we mature in Christ, the laxity and ignorance of youth yields to wisdom and letting love and truth light our way. We exercise our liberty, not to indulge the flesh, but to serve (Galatians 5:13). We invest the hours God’s entrusted to us instead of killing time. We think twice before mindlessly clicking the remote and watching what we later wish we could un-watch. God’s not against relaxing and we need not limit our entertainment to sermons, but He can guide us to what’s life-giving. I know when I read or watch inspired material, I am stirred up for good.
Growing up in God transcends physical fitness; it involves reining in our minds (see 2 Corinthians 10:5). I love something one of my Bible college instructors, Barry Bennett wrote: “Those who fail in life usually have undisciplined, wandering, self-centered thoughts.” I find I must constantly remind myself to bring God into everything (Proverbs 3:5-6), to cast my cares on and delight in Him, to worry less, refusing to let thoughts run wild. I can set my mind on things above; I can choose love over fear; I can focus on and believe God and His Word.
When I was a child, I used to speak like a child, think like a child, reason like a child; when I became a man, I did away with childish things (1 Corinthians 13:11).
Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day (2 Corinthians 4:16).
