The older men

The older men

​ But as for you, speak the things which are proper for sound doctrine: that the older men be sober, reverent, temperate, sound in faith, in love, in patience; - Titus 2:1-2

As much as I don't like the idea I guess the time has finally come to admit that I qualify as on of the 'older men' that Paul writes about. I am quickly coming up on sixty years of age and I am forty years a Christian. What is the church supposed to expect from a guy like me? Fortunately, God sent instructions on how we should live to set the proper example. 

So what is that test for me as one of these 'older men?'

Am I sober (self-controlled)?

Am I reverent?

Am I temperate (even-keeled)?

Am I sound in faith?

Am I sound in love?

Am I sound in patience?

I think a lot of these come with age and maturity. Some of them come naturally with the putting away of the exuberance and the excitement of youth. At the same time even with ageing some of these still ruin discipline. No matter what all of them are attainable with the aid of the Holy Spirit.

I like this description of the older men because at my age they all seem reasonable enough. None of them mean that our lives needs to be dull or boring or less than fun. They simply describe the kind of life that younger people can see. They describe the kind of life that is reasonable and balanced. In fact, they describe the kind of man I want to be. If we older men could set this kind of pattern I wonder what kind of impact we could have on the church. Most of the problems that younger folks have with the church is the rotten examples that the older men have been in the past.

Lord, help me to be the kind of older man that draws people to follow Christ and not the kind of man who turns them away.