The Age Perspective | Give Thanks … Unashamedly

I hate to be the sadist here, but a friend — when I asked her where we’d celebrate her birthday weeks ago, refused to even acknowledge the fact it is worth celebrating. It was the big 30 you see, and if it was me, I’d be rejoicing, giving thanks to God, for life. Many of us (ladies especially) hate mentioning our age. We seem engulfed by some shame created by the world; that we are aging, making us blind to the glory that we are living long. It is foolish to act so.

You must know that making it to 30 is a miracle to others. I remember my best friend Sam who from the age of 5 was made aware that he would not live past his teen ages because of his sickler condition. Well, Sam made it to 30. And it was something that had proven the naysayers wrong.

Look! The brother I follow didn’t see his 29th. You think 40 means you’re aged! My father didn’t see his 39th. Even if it’s quite unfortunate, I learn from them; to cherish and give thanks. I am not ashamed of my age! Many never lived this long. 

You see age is relative. To the 50-year-old, the 30-year-old is a child. To the 70-year-old, the 45-year-old is a ‘baby.’ I celebrate as one who has a set number to live up to. The older I grow, the more I rejoice at the age set (arranged). If for example the Bible says a 100-year-old will be considered a child (Isa 65:20), that means the bear minimum is 100 years of age. So I celebrate growing to see the day I turn the promise the Lord set.

If that’s not our mindset, then the world’s is what we will take. Which will make us ungrateful. We then refer to the other side of the coin, looking at aging as a bad thing, yet it is inevitable. If it is inevitable, then we must focus on its good side: like being wiser, having learnt a new thing or two the past year…

Let me paint one picture that could help. Aging is like Israelites leaving Egypt. The promise is reaching the promised land. It is the future. It is the inevitability. But, hating ‘aging’ is wishing to return to Egypt. To slavery. To bondage. Or … it is dying within the wilderness intentionally. There’d have been some who died by other reasons, and then there are others who caused death to come upon them due to murmuring; due to ungratefulness; which could be us, if we do not embrace aging.

‘I wish I’d be young again’ carries its own ounce of foolishness. I haven’t said ‘looking young’ is the folly. No. ‘Wishing to go back to advise your younger self’ is preposterous. The advice you wish to convey, you only experienced because you grew ‘older.’ So you can only advise other younglins maybe. 

Giving thanks is an attitude God wants us to adapt unashamedly. He promised that with long life He’d satisfy us. If rich parents always buy this kid all toys they want, they’d develop an attitude of entitlement or some other form of bad morals. But, if they instill the reception of gratitude in them, they’ll carry it to others when those others gift them, or do something good.

I perceive God wants us to give thanks IN ALL THINGS, and not just at getting the job we so desire, or the promotion, but even the most minute of things that seem available to everyone, which are actually not. Things like good health, or oxygen. After all, His word says to ‘give thanks always.’

The practice of giving thanks is actually an aspect of ‘the fear of the Lord.’ By this I mean, we acknowledge that it is God that has enabled us live longer. Not our exercising, not our money, not our jobs, not our good genetics, not our good feeding, or anything else. For some people have exercised and still died of heart failure. Some rich men couldn’t cure their cancer despite their billions! Jobs and genes could be gods we’ve created as catalysts to a long life, but I think God wants to disapprove that and remind us of that ol’ commandment: thou shalt have no other gods before me.

Let’s be humble, and owe Him our all, lest He sets Himself against us because of our pride, or make us eat grass like Nebuchadnezzar, who in this context, (and allegorically) thought he was alive all because of his power as king.

I am not forcing you to publicize your age; but what shame is there in admitting something good! I have a grand aunt who’s 101 years old. So I wonder to her; what’s 30 years of age? What’s 50?

I’m sorry to say — not so sorry anyway — but we act like telling our age is giving a password to a very important safe or lock that bears a nuclear-atomic bomb that could end the world. It’s really not that deep — or salient! Even if you swore an oath never to mention it, the world will revolve on so perfectly. An eclipse of 24 hours won’t occur because you leaked that ‘intel’! World War 3 won’t start because you said it. And it’s not like my life will become so much better when I get to know your age! Your skin color won’t turn green nor shall the moon fall from the sky …

We must however let our guard down. For many of us lie about our age. And though it seems like a small thing, we forget that we are holy; and in telling a small lie, we identify as children — children to the father of lies who’s none other than the devil. It begins like that, and soon we’ll lie about other small things, that could burgeon or water this vice which could cost us one day.

Conclusively, you’re not the first to be that age; so stop being ashamed of how long you have lived!

Many haven’t lived that long — to see their dreams come true; or experience things many wish to! It’s due to this, and not taking being alive for granted that I have been driven to live more intentionally daily.

I am 26! And so, so grateful for every minute of it!

•

Psalms 30:9 What profit is there in my blood, When I go down to the pit? Will the dust praise You? Will it declare Your truth?

Isaiah 38:18-19a For the grave cannot praise you, death cannot sing your praise; those who go down to the pit cannot hope for your faithfulness. The living, the living—they praise you, as I am doing today; parents tell their children about your faithfulness. (NIV)
‭‭

Psalm 92:1 It is a good thing to give thanks unto the LORD, And to sing praises unto thy name, O most High:
‭
1 Thess 5:18 In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.
‭‭