Life Lessons - Gray Hair

[Gary Petty] Over the last few years I've begun to get gray hair. When I go to the barber I ask him to cut it out. Of course, he just laughs. I've also had to start to wear these for reading. We continue to get older. We continue to get gray hair, and as you get older you begin to look at your life and say, "What have I accomplished? Have I been a success? And what can I do with the years that I have left?"

A number of years ago someone gave me a plaque that I still have on my wall, and I look at it regularly. The person gave it to me, and said, "This reminds me of you." And I'm taking that as a great compliment. It is the famous words of Ralph Waldo Emerson where he wrote, "To laugh often and much, to win the respect of intelligent people and affection of children, to earn the appreciation of honest critiques, and endure the betrayal of lost friends, to appreciate beauty, find the best in others, to leave the world a bit better whether by a healthy child, a garden patch, or a redeemed social condition, to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived, this is to have succeeded."

Wise words, but you know Emerson was missing the greatest measure of success. It is something that Solomon writes about in Proverbs chapter 16. He says, "The silver haired head is a crown of glory if…" And that's very interesting. Now, gray hair—I'm getting to the age where I'm starting to realize don't touch it. I've earned it. But he says, "The silver haired head is a crown of glory if it is found in the way of righteousness" (Proverbs 16:31)

See, the ultimate measure of success as we get older is do we have a proper relationship with our Creator, with our God. Are we living His ways? Because in the end, that's all that really matters.

That's today's BT Daily. Join us next time.