Yam Fot Pau and his wife overcame poverty by pouring their lives into building a successful business, only to see it go bankrupt in 1992. He said at the time, “My philosophy on money is simple: It is important, but it depends on how you get it. . . . I’ve never been afraid of hard work.”
Older people can teach us much about life. They’ve lived longer and have experienced more of life’s peaks and valleys. Sadly, newly crowned king Rehoboam failed to recognize the importance of seeking wise counsel from a seasoned sage.
In 1 Kings 12:3-4, the whole assembly of Israel had come with a petition (or rather, threat). They asked Rehoboam to lighten their harsh labor and heavy taxes, offering him their loyalty in return. What they were actually saying was: If you don’t accept our request, we’ll revolt. Check it out, we have Jeroboam with us. The guy whom God has promised will lead 10 of the tribes (1 Kings 11:31).
Rehoboam understood the seriousness of the situation. He requested 3 days to think about it. He then wisely consulted the elders (1 Kings 12:6). Perhaps he did it out of respect, but he didn’t take their wisdom to heart. In fact, he rejected their advice and took the counsel of the young men with whom he had grown up (1 Kings 12:8).
The pressure to lead well in the shadow of great leaders can be huge. Solomon, Rehoboam’s father, was mentioned at least nine times in the first 20 verses of 1 Kings 12. Distracted by the pressure to prove himself, Rehoboam ignored the true words of wisdom that had been spoken by the elders.
Scripture teaches: “Wisdom belongs to the aged, and understanding to the old” (Job 12:12). Never let your foolish pride get in the way of wise counsel from someone older than you.
NLT 365-day reading plan passage for today: Luke 12:22-48
More:
Read Proverbs 5:7-14 to get the wise counsel of a father to his sons.
Next:
Who are your advisers? Why is it important to turn to a godly, older man or woman for counsel?
jimgroberts on August 6, 2011 at 4:58 am
Strangely, in th example of Job you see that the youngest friend had the wisdom of God.
On the other side you see that solomons wisdom became more human based the older he got and caused him to fail as he added more wives for security.
Gods wisdom given to us through the young [relatively] Jesus was “I do nothing of myself…..I do only what I see my father do”. We have vision and knowledge channelled to us through the unfailing Holy Spirit [the spirit of truth].
May we in all things depend fully on you and not on our own understanding.
lindagma on August 6, 2011 at 8:38 am
Sounds like a case of pride and self-importance…not uncommon in our world today. People are buying the ads that tell them “You’re worth it” “Take charge of your own destiny,” “Success is in the taking.” Disastrous thinking no matter what the generation.
daisymarygoldr on August 6, 2011 at 5:41 pm
Good thoughts Poh and all!
Old is gold. Unfortunately, this is a culture that worships youth. When people are young, we think we know it all, and disregard the wisdom of the older generation. And the advice of peers is sought rather than the wisdom of parents. Contempt and disregard for the wisdom of the elderly is a sign of a society that is on the brink of collapse.
God commands the older generation to tell their children and grandchildren how He had delivered them from the Egyptians (Exodus 10:2). In the church, teens and young adults are deprived of the wisdom of the older generation when the age factor is used to segregate congregations.
In a multigenerational fellowship in which I grew up, the young can learn so much while observing the older ones sing, worship, pray, preach, share and take part in the Lord’s Supper. Although I was rebellious in my youth, I’m grateful for the wisdom of the aged that directed me all through my growing years.
The glory of the young is their strength; the gray hair of experience is the splendor of the old. (Proverbs 20:29).
regina franklin on August 6, 2011 at 10:14 pm
Dear Poh,
Thanks for the reminder. You are not presenting old age as the only standard of wisdom; you are simply reminding us not to dismiss too easily the wisdom that God bestows on those who have lived in places and seasons which we have not.
Interesting side note–If I remember correctly, Solomon was the only king who did not have a prophet speaking into his life.
Whether young or old, we are to remember that we are but dust (Psalms 103:14), that the only true counsel must be based on God’s word (Psalms 33:11, Prov 19:21), a multitude of counselors brings safety (Prov 11:14, 15:22), and that an individual who isolates himself rages against all sound wisdom (Prov 18:1).
bearpair on August 7, 2011 at 12:28 pm
Dear Poh Fang,
Thanks for the excellent words of wisdom! Timely illustration of what we see so rampant in today’s world, where, once you hit the Sr. years, no one seems interested in what you have to say, regardless of its true value. Keep ’em coming!
Terry & Pat