Wisdom of Elders

https://odb.org/MY/2021/10/09/counted-among-the-wise

I think in whatever we do, we cannot avoid interacting with people older than us. This is particularly true if we are young. But it is also true even if we are older. I believe this is true whether in school, in college or university, at work or in church. There will always people who are older than us and it is not necessary that they are also more senior to us in pay grade at work or leadership hierarchy in church. The older person can be a junior staff or just an ordinary church member (but who may be doing extra ordinary things despite not being in leadership 😁). The point here is just the age, that person is older than us.

Thus, I think it is important that we take into consideration and listen to the counsel of the older person in our midst like Moses listened to Jethro, his father in law during the Israelites stay at the Wilderness. At that time Jethro was not in any leadership position and yet Moses listened to him.

Our elders in our midst whether it is our father or mother or father in law or mother in law or those older than us in our midst whether at work or in church or in school or college, had gone through life longer than us, had experienced more than us. There are thus areas in life where they may shed more light to us especially when it comes to dealing with people or going through life issues. I’m not saying that we should listen to an older but more junior staff in our area of professional work or ministry, but if they offer advice, we must at least consider, but if they offer advice on life issues, we must certainly listen intently! Not just out of respect or that it is the right cultural thing to do but there will usually be wisdom in their advice! Any young person who consistently ignores the advice of his or her elders is looking for trouble in their life and spiritual journey! That is why God gave us fathers and mothers, and older brothers and sisters in our family and church. They are not knowledgeable or more experienced in every thing as we had perceived when we were very young, but there are areas that they can offer good advice! Listen to them, that’s the God appointed way. See what happened to Rehoboam in 1 Kings 12 when he only listened to the advice of his friends and ignored the counsel of his elders.

There is Godly wisdom in the advice to listen to our elders. It is a God sanctioned way. It is also the right thing to do as per our Asian culture. Take heed and follow their advice as much as we can, there is wisdom in their words!