I saw two men laughing at a sad reality. It’s the assumption that age does not come with maturity, but with a certain kind of socially acceptable meanness.
In recent episodes, Please excuse the interruption— a show I’ve been avidly watching since middle school — co-hosts Tony Kornheiser and Mike Wilbon opened with a jaunty riff on “National Nothing to Fear Day.”
The show’s chilly opening proceeded with the two friends laughing while Tony rattled off a list of fears including snakes, spiders, and emotional intimacy. “No way,” Tony said jokingly. I laughed.
Shortly after, both men, each past retirement age, as well as Tony, admitted that it’s not just their list of fears that grows with age. No, we both agreed that as we got older, we got grumpier. “As you get older, the list of things that frustrate you gets longer,” Tony said. “Of course I do,” Wilbon added.
In a moment that is probably completely unforgettable for most viewers, part of the daily production that brings viewers into the show’s “A block” as the opening credits roll, I watched two men laugh at a sad reality: the assumption that age does not come with maturity, but with some kind of socially acceptable craziness and nastiness.
What if we instead aimed for something truly countercultural and thoroughly Biblical: getting older and gentler?
Think about it for a moment. The 1993 rom-com of the same name is full of stories about grumpy old men. grumpy old people to clint eastwood Gran Torino Disney’s 2009 hit, above. The plots of these movies have little in common, but they prove that old people, especially old people, are simply grumpy. Sure, even if it’s a feud between neighbors competing for the widow’s affections. A racist war veteran tries to understand the changing demographics of his neighborhood. The film’s protagonists share the same personality trait: bad tempers, as does Karl, a grumpy septuagenarian seeking adventure.
The “grumpy old man” is a popular storytelling metaphor and a self-fulfilling prophecy.
But should you?
i don’t think so. The apostle Paul, in his letter to the Galatians, says of the fruit of the Spirit: “Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, [and] self control. ” (Gal. 5:22–23). The fruit of the Spirit does not imply temporary characteristics or youthful ideals. No, they are signs of a life shaped by God. “Christian Virtue” as Martin Luther said.
If we believe that sanctification is real (and It is!), in which case you should expect these properties to ripen and mature over time rather than becoming sour. In other words, as we grow older, we should become more virtuous, not less virtuous. As far as “fruit” is concerned, this is what we should be. more love, more fun, more peaceful, more patient, more kind, more good, more loyal, more kind, more Self-managed.
How often does the opposite happen? we hate Pushed down. I like fighting. impatient. unkind. Useless. Unreliable. Easily provokes anger. There is no discipline.
But that’s not what our culture celebrates. We take cranks seriously. We laugh when we see retirees shaking their fists at teenagers and complaining that everything was better before. We dismiss bitterness as a luxury in old age.
This cannot continue.
Yes, the older we get, the more losses we endure. Our health declines and friends and loved ones die. Educational institutions are disappointed. Dreams fade away. Life presents challenges in many different ways. But we don’t have to suffer through trials. They, and with Christ’s help, can refine us (ROM. 5:3-5; James 1:2-4).
Now, let me just say right off the bat, I don’t want to attack Mike or Tony. I respect both of them. Their banter has been part of my regular rhythm for the better part of two decades. However, I want to challenge the assumptions underlying the claim that aging inevitably leads to irritability and apathy.
In a culture obsessed with youth (and fearful of aging), there is a temptation to regain relevance by embracing caricature. We can’t stay young and attractive forever, so let’s get old and grumpy.
But what if we instead aimed for something truly countercultural and thoroughly Biblical: older and gentler? Older and more patient. Maybe he’s older and kinder.
As Christians, we can’t just grow older. we are supposed to growing up above.
I know it’s fiction, but it has its moments. friends of the ring When Frodo, newly burdened with the knowledge of the Ring’s evil, turns to Gandalf in despair, he says, “I wish it had never happened in my time.” Gandalf is old and weathered, but he does not punish or instill fear in him. “So am I…and so is every person who lives to see such a time. But that’s not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time we have.”
This is a portrait of maturity. This is a work that depicts what kind of era we will live in when we are guided by grace. As we know, Gandalf does not respond to Frodo’s fear with sarcasm or irritation. He doesn’t add fuel to the fire or throw in the towel. No, Gandalf asks. He comforts me. He is an inspiration. I hope many of us grow up to be Gandalf.
You know, as Christians, we can’t just get older. we are supposed to growing up above. In the Christian view, growing old is not about voicing opinions, venting grievances, or defending personal irritations. It’s about maturing, becoming a person whose presence and wisdom can calm a room, repair relationships, and even heal. It means being superior to others in love, and thinking about others more than yourself.
That’s it. The world says getting older means getting meaner. You will be more likely to be provoked. It’s more frustrating. More finicky. But it doesn’t have to be. We don’t have to be grumpy old men.
In Christ, we can and should grow into the warm, wise, compassionate, yet resolute “older men” that the Bible describes. Not because we have seen everything, but because we are being transformed by the One who has seen and still loves us.
Source: Christ and Pop Culture – christandpopculture.com
