Men Who Do Things

At the time of this writing, it is the day of my forty-first birthday. By no means do I consider that old, though my kids have a different opinion. I know quite a few others who would consider that quite young.

My meaning is of course that age is relative to the position you view it from. I certainly don't feel old, though certain joints don't move quite like they did twenty years ago. This, I attribute less to age and more to activities some might consider reckless — years of long-distance cycling, hiking, boxing, wrestling, mixed martial arts, and a tendency to do projects myself for which most sane people hire professionals who own large equipment. I suppose I just have a keen interest in life in seeing if I can do things. I just want to know. Perhaps it's taken a few years off my life. Hopefully not enough to prevent me from becoming an old man.

Some might consider living in such a "busy" way to be foolish. Perhaps, they think I'm suggesting we always be so busy we forget to sit at the feet of Jesus (Luke 10:41-42). But that is not what I mean.

I often ponder what type of old man I hope to be. Proverbs 20:29 says, "The beauty of old men is the gray head." It should go without saying that this is not referring in any sense to gray hair being uniquely attractive compared to hair with color. The word "beauty" here is referring more properly to splendor or majesty. And the strong implication is that the most majestic and splendorous thing about the gray head is experience, or more properly experiences, plural. They simply have more of them than us "young'ins". But these experiences are not to be done in just any old way.

The hoary head is a crown of glory, if it be found in the way of righteousness. Proverbs 16:31

The idea here is that unrighteous experience in an old man is not the sort of life experience that brings glory in old age. He must have life experience in the doing of things in righteousness. And he must be found in the way of righteousness still. Righteousness must not simply be history in his life, it must also be his present reality.

But is there a difference in the crown of glory an old man has, based on the experiences he has had? Of course! Righteousness is not an abstract idea. It is a virtue exercised/lived out in the doing of things. And not dumb or nonsensical things either. Rather, experiences that correlate to the imagery of the Christian life in the Bible - struggle, industriousness, boldness, patience, discipline, faith, confidence, strength, wisdom and cunning, striving for mastery, doing things heartily, and so many others concepts. Without the doing of things, these are all simply concepts. Nothing more. These concepts must be lived out in the doing of things.

There are some men who simply avoid experiences and the doing of things. And while I realize that men do not all have the same talents, skills, and abilities, some Christian men simply don't attempt much. I also realize that some men have physical and mental limitations that inhibit the doing of things. In such cases, righteous living through those challenges contributes to their crown of glory in old age. However, some men are risk averse, not much in the area of pain tolerant, and mostly disinterested in the acquiring of a skills. Though they may be godly in character in the things they do accomplish, there is much to be said for righteousness worked out in the doing of things. It is precisely the avoidance of doing things that robs the next generation of the "old man wisdom" that comes by way of righteousness applied through many life experiences.

The most influential old men I know, aren't men who simply read stories to their grandkids (which is perfectly fine). But these men have stories to tell of their own — stories of God moving, changing, and using them to overcome challenges in the doing of all sorts of things. They don't need to use other people's sermon illustrations. They have their own. There is no way to speak to these men without hearing some experience of their life that isn't in some way applicable to my own life presently. This is because they've done so many things, and righteousness has been a constant thread in each experience. You'd be hard pressed to have an experience these men haven't already had in some way. And they always seem to have a way of teaching you something about it that they learned from decades of perspective since. Additionally, in their varied experiences, one thing they never saw themselves as was the victim. The Lord was their constant friend, experiences were their teachers, and blood, sweat, and tears were the cost of tuition. These are the men we take our kids to meet.

Some old men can give you only theory while others of the same age can give you practice. Men who don't do things may be able to tell you verses about a thing; they may be able to teach you concepts from Bible stories; they may be able to tell you stories of people they've known. That is all valuable in its own way.

But there is a certain gravitas of a man who tells you about how God worked through his own varied and experience-rich life in which he almost seems to have sought discomfort and invited challenge. His gray head is a testament to the splendor, majesty, and adventure of a rich life lived for the Lord. His crown of glory is simply different than the crown of glory of another man the same age. It's not a difference in holiness, godliness, righteousness, and so on. It's simply different in respect. It is somehow weighted and valued differently. I don't know how else to say it.

For a Christian man to choose a more mundane life when he could do otherwise seems to rob the next generation of wisdom one could give from a life lived righteously in the doing of many things. And perhaps he also robs himself. If the Lord tarries and if He permits me to become an old man, I know of what sort I'd like to be. I think about it often, especially on birthdays. I hope and pray that I'm on the right trajectory for it. Now, what's next?