We are or were all young. And then, we are and will all become old. It is the nature of life. Our younger days are often filled with fun, recklessness, pride, and often bad choices. We think “oh, I am young, there is always tomorrow to be serious and responsible” or “oh, I’m young, God will understand I’ve got to live a little before I really commit to Him.” We don’t like to learn lessons for those older than us and scoff – maybe that’s how it worked out for you, but watch – it will end differently for me. So, you will often live out our youth in willful ignorance only to come to regret our decisions as we age. We often so desperately wish to go back and change the decisions we made.
As Solomon begins to close his writings on the purpose of life, one last aspect of life he reflects on is age and youth. He says it is a beautiful thing and one God gave to each of us. Yet, so many of us waste it. And, even more sobering, unless we die young, it too is vanity because we all lose it. He tells his younger readers to be grateful for their youth but to also be wise about how they spend it.
Do the things you enjoy he says but remember that God will judge everything you’ve ever done – no matter the age you were when you made that decision. So, be careful of the things you allow your heart and eyes to love and enjoy. They can lead you down good paths or bad paths. But, which path they lead and whichever actions you take, God will judge them all. It won’t matter if you are 21 or 81. If you die young, it won’t matter. God expects us to remember Him even in our youthful moments.
Youth and age is such a fickle reflective thing – Depending on who you are chatting with you can be old or young. Life stages dictate how we and others interpret each others experiences. I’m in my 30s – to some that is old, to others it is young. Solomon doesn’t put an age on his youth (although he was most likely referring to younger adults and teens). Until we become very old, we often think we will have more time live a Godly life – do to the things God expects…later. It is not until we become much closer to death do we often truly begin to realize we are on the precipice of meeting our Creator and Judge.
Solomon would have us all already standing on that cliff. He wants us all to know that youth is vanity – not even it can save you from death and judgment. Instead, we must all remember our Creator and Judge every day – no matter if we are 21 or 91. In truth this is so hard. I’ve been 21 and if the Lord blessings me I will be 91 one day. I can already tell you – I think back on times when I was younger and think to myself what in the world was I doing? Thank the Lord, God was merciful and did not call my soul into judgment. Such is the nature of life. So, Solomon hopes to help us avoid those situations. He looked back on his youth and was filled with regret and sorrow. He wants to help us avoid that life. So, he tells us to be grateful for our youth and the good times it brings us but also remember God for He will call all of our decisions into account no matter the stage of life we were in when we made them.
So, walk and enjoy your life and your youth. But, remember God because we will all stand before His judgment throne – the old and the young.
Adonai's Appeal 