I Wish You Were 'Old' (Poem)

I once was young, and now I am old.

As a child, in the ways of God, I was instructed.

But then, in my middle years, my walk was corrupted.

Now as old, in His ways I am bold!

‘Train up a child in the way he should go,

And from what you teach, he will not depart,

Because the ways of God are in his heart.’

We think that’s from God, but it’s from His foe!

So when our children stray from what they’ve been taught,

At first, before God, we may whine and pout.

Before long, it’s Him we’re tempted to doubt,

When our children, in devilish traps, are caught.

We may wonder, ‘Where in the world did I go wrong?!’

Embarrassed before our family and friends,

We nag and meddle, trying to make amends,

As deeper into darkness, children plunge headlong.

Remember...

This may well be the road YouR parents walked,

As in their light of God’s Word, YoU were raised.

As you grew, the ways of the world, YoU craved.

Thus, it was YouR path that devils then stalked!

Circle of life, comeuppance, reaping what was sowed?

Perhaps, but more likely, something fundamental.

Let’s go back and consider… the quintessential—

Take a peek at Solomon’s proverbial node.

‘Train up a child in the way he should go,

And when he’s old, from it, he’ll not depart.’ ¹

Like me, did you omit this latter part?!

No worry! With this insight, now you know.

So on your holy faith, Christian, tighten your grip!

Know that God’s Word is Truth, and He is faithful,

As with patient endurance, we remain full,

No matter how deep in darkness children may slip!

In those crazy middle years, we ALL go astray!

But good seed, planted in good grounds of childish hearts,

Will sprout, bear fruit that plays its glorifying part,

From what Godly parents taught us ...back in the day.

So in those middle years, be patiently bold!

While not wishing yours or children’s lives away,

In your heart, a silent wish still may pulsate --

My son, my daughter, how I wish... you were 'old.’

But wait! Please, don’t mistake ‘old’ as simply a number.

In His Grace, God patiently waited for you to ‘grow old’,

To enjoy sweet fellowship as you returned to His fold.

To omit growing in wisdom would be a blunder! ²

~o~o~o~

While pondering this poem, ask yourself,

‘Which is true: Aging is distressing, or distress is aging?’

I asked The Lord, “Why ‘…and when they are old?’ ” He led me to Judges chapter 2, especially verse 15. Subsequent generations of Hebrews had not seen God at work, though they were likely well taught by their parents about His past works. But since with us humans, ‘not seeing, is not believing’, these generations strayed, and did evil. Only when they were distressed with the results of their ways, did they (re)turn to The Lord.

Medical science and our experience reveal clear, two-way links between sustained distress and aging -- Distress ages, and aging distresses.³ Thus, an alternative perspective on Proverbs 22:6 might be:

Train up a child in the way he/she should go,

learning to acknowledge God in all his/her ways,

and when he/she is old, distressed and aged

from failing the trials of a life ignoring God,

then and only then [if he/she survives!],

will he/she return to those childhood teachings,

and then… shall NoT depart from them!

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¹ Proverbs 22:6

² According to Proverbs 9:10, wisdom and understanding don’t necessarily come with chronological age.

³ For example, see: Emotional Distress Can Speed Up Cellular Aging