Young and Wise Versus Old Fools

“Forty is the old age of youth; fifty the youth of old age.” – Victor Hugo

Your age is really just a number. Some people live to be 80 years old and behave like spoiled toddlers. Others are still in their teens and have wisdom that is the result of accumulating truth and then understanding how the truth fits in life. I’d rather surround myself with younger people who have wisdom, than a bunch of old folks who have rarely lived wisely.

Five-Minute Friday: YOUTH can be a source of wisdom when they take advice and put that wisdom into practice.

I see this all the time when it comes to relationships (including marriage), finances, investing, and communications. Now being old isn’t a problem of itself. The problem comes when the young or the old refuse advice. You may be viewed as the “king” and may even be the king (boss, president, POTUS, prime minister, CEO, or other kings) but that isn’t a guarantee that you will live life well.

Know How To Take Advice

It should be noted that there is a lot of bad advice. So “taking advice” is a skill that takes into consideration the life of the one giving the advice. I would not take advice about marriage from the typical Hollywood actor or actress. I would not take financial advice from someone who won the lottery and then wasted their winnings.

Knowing how to take advice also involves measuring the advice with the yardstick of the scriptures with a dose of wisdom. One wise person said, in Ecclesiastes 4:13: “Better was a poor and wise youth than an old and foolish king who no longer knew how to take advice.”

Be a Listener to Gain Wisdom for the Future

Proverbs 12:15 “The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but a wise man listens to advice.”

Proverbs 13:10 “By insolence comes nothing but strife, but with those who take advice is wisdom.

Proverbs 19:20 “Listen to advice and accept instruction, that you may gain wisdom in the future.”

How to Identify a Follower of Jesus

Matthew recorded something that Peter heard during the transfiguration of Jesus. The Father said we should listen to Jesus. I’d like to take my advice, from youths or seniors who listen to Jesus.

““He was still speaking when, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, ‘This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him.’” Matthew 17:5

Five Minute Friday

This post is part of the weekly Five-Minute Friday link-up.

All scripture passages are from the English Standard Version except as otherwise noted.