Forever Young

It was the acerbic wit of George Bernard Shaw that gave us the phrase, variously quoted: “Youth is the most precious thing in life; it is too bad it has to be wasted on young folks.” No one has been able to figure out how to put the strength and agility of their younger days with the experience and wisdom of their later years. Youth do well to apply all the wisdom they can muster, and seniors to be as fit as they can manage. In any case, we just have to do the best we can with the day at hand.

Sometimes we meet a child who comes across as an “old soul.” Sometimes we meet a person long in years, who, because of attitude, openness and creativity seem forever young. Maybe nothing is set in stone. You probably remember the song Bob Dylan performed so well, “Forever Young?” It comes out almost like an ancient Celtic blessing. Here is the middle verse: 

May you grow up to be righteous
May you grow up to be true
May you always know the truth
And see the light surrounding you
May you always be courageous
Stand upright and be strong
May you stay forever young

It is a beautiful thing, this stanza, and the whole of the song. Songwriters and poets are free to speak figuratively and covey their meanings. No one can stay forever young, but we know what the singer means; it is a beautiful wish and blessing. As humans, we discover our lives are short and unpredictable. I am sure we properly wish each other the gifts of vitality we associate with youth and gifts of wisdom associated with age. 

All good gifts come from above. James 1:17 runs through my head: “Every generous act of giving, with ever perfect, is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.” God sees you not as old or young, but as a child worthy of gifts. There is a light thread of this subject of youth that runs through scriptures for The Third Sunday after Epiphany. When Paul is identifying the highest gifts of the body of believers, The Body of Christ, he introduces the gift of selfless love. 

Paul teaches that there are spiritual gifts of various kinds, then he introduces “a still more excellent way.” He states that if we do not have love, we gain nothing. Just as we progress through our earthly years from youth to maturity, Paul teaches that we are moving toward maturity in our relationship of love with God. We will transition into a way of seeing and knowing God, compared with which all our progress before will seem like a spiritual childhood.

When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child; when I became an adult, I put an end to childish ways. For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then we will see face to face. Now I know only in part; then I will know fully, even as I have been fully known. (1 Corinthians 13:11-12)

The psalm for Sunday takes up the theme of youth as well, promoting a confidence, that there was never a time when we were not known and sustained by God. 

Psalm 71

5 For you are my hope, O Lord God, *
my confidence since I was young.

6 I have been sustained by you ever since I was born;
from my mother's womb you have been my strength; *
my praise shall be always of you.

God does not withhold love and concern until we are a certain human age. Humans put an emphasis on age, but God relates to us lovingly from the ages of ages. The prophet Jeremiah at first dodges God’s call, thinking himself too young: 

The word of the Lord came to me saying, "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you,
and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations."
Then I said, "Ah, Lord God! Truly I do not know how to speak, for I am only a boy." But
the Lord said to me, "Do not say, 'I am only a boy'; for you shall go to all to whom I send you, and you shall speak whatever I command you. Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you to deliver you, says the Lord." (Jeremiah 1:4-6)

The power and presence of God matters infinitely more than the prophet’s youth or vulnerability. The task is not dependent upon Jeremiah’s ability, but on his availability.

Finally, when Jesus is back in Nazareth after his purpose and ministry is starting to manifest publicly, they remember him as Joseph’s son. They remember his childhood, wondering how he could actually be that figure performing healings over at Capernaum. What matters is not how they saw him as a youth, but what God is up to now. 

We will be forever young only in the sense that we are connected to Christ in this life and for eternity. Christ the one who was raised from death to life. Our Savior connects with us, rooting us in this resurrection. Opening to this truth day by day, we discover the gifts listed in the song of blessing, Bob Dylan wished upon his own son. We can discover ways to be righteous and true, discover ourselves surrounded in divine light and truth. In Christ we have the possibility of courage, uprightness, and strength. In Christ, we move through these days of progressive frailty, and find that we indeed will stay, forever young.