“The glory of young men is their strength, but the splendor of old men is their gray hair” (Proverbs 20:29 ESV).
Solomon taught his readers that youth and old age each possessed a God-given glory. The strength of the young was their energy, vitality, and capacity for action. The gray hair of the old represented experience, perspective, wisdom, and the dignity gained through years of life. Each generation had its appointed excellence.
This proverb lifts God’s people above the envy, impatience, or contempt that could arise between generations. The young were not to despise the old because their strength had diminished, and the old were not to envy the young because their vigor was greater. Both generations needed one another.
Yet both also needed to guard their glory. The young could squander their strength through foolish living, while the old could accumulate years without accumulating wisdom. John expressed a similar pattern when he wrote that the “young men” were strong, while the “fathers” knew Him who was from the beginning (1 John 2:13–14). Strength marked youth, while tested knowledge marked maturity.
We should resist the tendency to separate the generations in the church. We need the strength, courage, creativity, and energy of the young. We also need the wisdom, experience, patience, and perspective of those who have walked with Christ for many years.
We can honor God by refusing to pit the generations against one another and instead learning to serve together. The young can lend their strength to the mission, while the old can lend their wisdom to the journey. When each generation values the other, the church displays the beauty of Christ’s body. This is the glory of the intergenerational church.
PRAYER: Dear Father, teach us to value every generation in Your church. Help the young use their strength wisely and the old to grow in godly wisdom. Unite us so that together we may serve Christ faithfully and display His glory. In Jesus’ name, amen.