Old? or Young?

Over the last week, I have had two conflicting events regarding my age. One made me realize how old I am, while the other reassured me that I am still young in some ways.

Last Saturday was our Annual 180 Harvest Party. One of the staples of this event has become the football game. This is the one tackle football game we play each year. (As a side note, the older teen boys do a great job of controlling themselves when it comes to tackling the girls and younger kids. I am impressed.)

I didn’t feel that old during the game, although the next youngest player was at least twenty years my junior. What I lacked in speed I made up for in size. Not many teenage boys weigh in at over 200 pounds, so once I got going, I could be difficult to stop.

It was the next morning that I was reminded of my age. I have a new found respect for NFL players near the end of their career still playing into their mid and late thirties. Although they have trainers, medication, and more, they still have bodies that are over thirty years old. This whole experience reminded me that I am not in my twenties any more (and thirties for much longer).

But then, Wednesday came. I had a meeting with two other area youth ministers, one of which is about five years older than me. Let’s call him Jim. Anyway, Jim offers to buy breakfast for me and the other guy. While we are ordering, Jim asks if I would like to add something else to my order. The lady ringing us up looks at us and says, “Is this your son?”

I immediately had a huge grin on my face, and Jim gives me this look that says, “I’ll never hear the end of this.” Then we explain that we are not related. I thought it was pretty funny. I am not sure if Jim completely agrees with me on this one.

So, in the span of a few days I went from feeling like the old guy to the kid. I never changed ages. I still live in the same body. It’s all about perspective.

Which makes we wonder, how often we look at life’s circumstances and make them more or less important than they really are because of our perspective? I look back on situations in my life where I either overreacted or failed to react sufficiently because of my perspective.

This is the value of community. It provides a group of people who can offer varying perspectives on whatever is happening in our lives.

It becomes even more valuable when it is a multi-generational community because the range of perspectives multiplies significantly. This is one of the reasons I cringe when students gather in groups apart from the larger community and shut out those who might offer a different perspective. Adults might look old in some ways, but they have much to offer to those who find themselves at a different place on the journey.

shine!
Jason