Revelation 2:19 gives a short description of the church of Thyatira. Jesus says to them, “I know thy works, and charity, and service, and faith, and thy patience, and thy works; and the last to be more than the first.” In other words, Jesus is saying you are getting better at what you’re doing every day.
I’ve heard it said that there is no replacement for experience. I’ve also heard it said that some things get better with age. To follow the life of Moses we may could gain a little understanding of this. Moses spent his first 40 years in Egypt, the next 40 years in the wilderness, and his last 40 doing what the first 80 years had prepared him for. We face these, “for such a time as this”, periods in life. We use that term frequently, but I think we need some understanding as to what that implies. To get to a “such a time as this” place, we must acknowledge the experience of what we have been through to prepare us for such a time.
The great preacher Vance Havner said, “I want to finish better than I started.” This has been in my heart for a few days now. It has also raised some questions. I believe it is possible that we are throwing away some of the most valued treasures in the kingdom at times. When Barak Obama was President and running for his second term, he told college-age people to go home and teach their parents because they were unlearned about some issues because of their age. Society has adopted a mentality that youth is better than age.
While in the physical world we understand that there are some things that decline with age, there are some things that get better with age. The writer of Ecclesiastes says there is a time for every purpose under heaven. If we do things in the wrong season, we cannot be successful.
It seems that there is a lot of on-the-job training going on in the kingdom. This method has replaced learning things before you get to work. The church has taken more of a youth-oriented approach instead of valuing the experience of seasoned people ready for the task. Some look at the package that age brings and devalue anything that could come from such an aged appearance, judging it as not in touch with the modern culture. When this happens, we lose precious gems in the kingdom of God that is filled with wisdom and treasures that can accomplish any task. Sitting at the feet of one who has walked with God for countless years is one of life's greatest blessings. Paul told Timothy to let no man despise his youth. However, Timothy thrived under the mentorship of the Apostle.
To those who have experienced walking with God, now is your time. For such a time as this, you are ready for the call of God. It is time for you to finish better than you started. It is not time to retire, but to lead the way and mentor those who will pick up the banner after you. I pray that the Church will cherish those who have blazed a trail for others to follow. May we not be guilty of throwing away the precious gems of great wisdom just because the package looks old.
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