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Age is a High Price to Pay for Wisdom

For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth.

Ephesians 5:9

A fresh faced young man came into my office the other day. He was well mannered and inundated me with “Yes and No ma’ams. Once he left, I realized that his politeness was more about my age than his upbringing. After some calculations, I realized I could be his mother! Where had the time gone? It didn’t seem like that long ago that young men wanted my phone number! Ego bruised I returned to my task at hand. I twisted the idea over in my brain a few times and wondered,

“Was my relationship with Christ as evident as the grays poking out around my temples?”

It was an interesting question. It was clear to this young man that I was a mature woman by my appearance and maybe my actions. But could anyone know my relationship with Christ by my appearance and words? Did my demeanor and my language reflect a connection to the spirit? In everything that we do, we should be a reflection of Christ. From our words, what we choose to watch on TV and movies, the books we read, the friends we congregate with to even our clothing.

As we mature in life we recognize the errors of our youth. Our ideals and priorities change, and inevitably, so does our appearance. It is the same in our maturing in Christ. As our walk with Him becomes closer, our standards and how we look to others change. We recognize the folly of our lives before we become recipients of the grace of God through the shedding of Jesus’ blood. Our priorities change and we are compelled to share our wisdom with others and the good news of salvation.

As you pray this week, take a look at your reflection in Christ. Take stock of the things in your life. Does your choice of movies, friends, vocabulary and clothing reflect Jesus? When you choose an outfit do you think about whether or not it is attractive to the world or an expression of your commitment to Christ? When choosing a movie do you think about what the contents of that movie will say to others about your witness for Christ?

My relationship with Christ should be as obvious as the gray hair on my head. My hope for you is “That you might walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God.” Colossians 1:10