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If you are subscribed to Dr. G’s Daily Cup of Encouragement, this will look very familiar to you. I’m going to be traveling to a conference this week and am using this for my weekly Be Amazing Circle as well. (Maybe this will inspire some additional thoughts).
I saw a joke recently:
I can relate!
Things I used to do without a second thought now require a bit more “strategery.”
I helped my neighbor (almost my age) move his sofa a few weeks ago. It may not have been the heaviest sofa in the history of sofas, but I can’t remember moving a heavier one.
As we were struggling to get it through a doorway, I suggested to him that we needed to find some younger friends!
One of my favorite “old dude” stories is found in Joshua chapter 14.
45 years earlier, Joshua and Caleb had been part of a group of spies sent by Moses in to the land of Canaan on a recon mission for the Israelites.
Most of the team reported on the giants in the land that would make conquest impossible. Only Joshua and Caleb were in favor of moving forward with the plan God had placed before them.
As a result, the Israelites wandered in the wilderness for 40 years until all the fighting aged men of their generation had died—except Joshua and Caleb.
After the death of Moses, Joshua led a new generation to take possession of the promised land.
The conquest was almost complete when Caleb came to Joshua and reminded him of a promise Moses made years earlier.
“I was forty years old when Moses the servant of GOD sent me from Kadesh Barnea to spy out the land. And I brought back an honest and accurate report. My companions who went with me discouraged the people, but I stuck to my guns, totally with GOD, my God. That was the day that Moses solemnly promised, ‘The land on which your feet have walked will be your inheritance, you and your children’s, forever. Yes, you have lived totally for GOD.’ Now look at me: GOD has kept me alive, as he promised. It is now forty-five years since GOD spoke this word to Moses, years in which Israel wandered in the wilderness. And here I am today, eighty-five years old! I’m as strong as I was the day Moses sent me out. I’m as strong as ever in battle, whether coming or going. So give me this hill country that GOD promised me. You yourself heard the report, that the Anakim were there with their great fortress cities. If GOD goes with me, I will drive them out, just as GOD said.”
(Joshua 14:7-12, The Message).
This is probably a sign of my warpedness, but this passage cracks me up.
85 year-old dude claims to be as strong as he was at 40.
He was not.
I don’t say that because I’m not as strong at almost 60 as I was at 40 (although that certainly influences my perspective).
I say that—in part—because he was the only one saying it.
Nobody else in the crowd was talking about how Caleb had found the secret of youthful strength.
“Whoa! Don’t mess with Mr. C! He will break you into tiny pieces!”
Actually, my tongue-in-cheek assessment of his vigor is not the most important point I’m trying to make.
Here’s what stands out for me:
Caleb didn’t let his age undermine his passion to fulfill his purpose.
It’s as if he’s saying, “Don’t put me out to pasture just yet. I’ve still got fire in my belly. God is not finished using me.”
As I advance in age and experience, I don’t want to sit around complaining about what others are (or aren’t) doing and reminiscing about the good old days.
I want to keep moving forward into God’s next best adventure.
As I advance in age and experience, I don't want to sit around complaining about what others are (or aren't) doing and reminiscing about the good old days. I want to keep moving forward into God's next best adventure. Share on XThere may be some “strategery” involved and I may need to invite some younger and stronger companions to join me, but that just provides us all with greater opportunities to keep learning and growing.
Let’s do this!
Be amazing today, my friend.