Gray hair is a crown of glory; it is gained in a righteous life. (Proverbs 16:31 ESV).
I’ve had gray hair since my early 40’s. I did not count myself among the elderly or wise. I have managed to get to 74, which does indicate I am a part of the group known as “elderly.” Today’s reading is much like it’s counterpart found in Proverbs 20:29, which adds a contrast between young men and people with gray hair: “The glory of young men is their strength, gray hair the splendor of the old.” I think there has been a bit of confusion about the meaning of these verses. Somehow we seem to think that chronological age is an automatic guarantee of wisdom. That is not the case. There can be foolish old and young alike. In fact some would say there’s nothing worse than an “old fool.” They may be right.
So, let’s look closer in our journey toward wisdom. Notice also that in today’s proverb, gray hair denotes a righteous life. However, we do see less-than-righteous folks with gray hair too. Our proverb for today reflects a general belief that long life was a sign of God’s blessing. We still agree, as we often hear someone say, upon reaching old age, “I’ve been blessed.” As an indication of age, gray hair is not a disgrace but a distinction. It’s a crown of splendor, an achievement to be celebrated. It’s a way of identifying the elderly who deserve respect. And if those having the crown of splendor are ones who’ve lived a righteous life, we should treat them with even more respect. They’re people to whom we should listen if we are to live wisely and obediently.
The passing of time ought to be a means of gaining knowledge and experience. Taken with other qualities of wisdom this ought to mark us as people who have gained a crown through the recognition of wisdom. I can tell you it is a lot easier recognizing the temptations of life now than it was decades ago. That experience can be invaluable if we draw against it. Patience is easier. Temperance is easier. Love is easier. Even forgiveness is easier. At least it should be. I do want you to recognize that we don’t have to wait to be wise until we are “gray.” In fact, I can’t picture Jesus with gray hair. Yet he lived the most righteous life ever. If we’re wise, we’ll give him the respect and worship that he deserves and learn from Him!