“But age should speak, and the multitude of years should teach wisdom. Is it not in old men that there is wisdom, and in length of days that understanding comes?” 

Job 32:7-9

It hits 1 in 9 adults over the age of 65. Apparently, that includes presidential candidates.

Cognitive decline is simply the gradual loss of thinking abilities. As some of us grow older, our brains can falter. For some it’s a little memory slip here and there. For others, it can be a noticeable reduction in mental acuity.

We happen to be living in a crazy time when supporters of two potential presidential candidates are accusing the opposing candidate of suffering from serious cognitive decline. Every time one of them stumbles over a word or says the wrong name, headlines alert us to the fact. It’s certainly not an issue that should go unnoticed, but it begs the question:

How old is too old to be a leader?

The Old Testament lists several folks of advanced age who continued to lead God’s people. Moses lived until the age of 120. Abraham died at the age of 175. And Noah? Well, he was supposedly 600 years old when the flood came.

That’s old! Of course, many Christians interpret these prophets’ ages as being overinflated, or using a different system for declaring age. But in that context, being 81 or 77 seems like being in the prime of life! And we mustn’t forget Jeanne Calment of France, who died in 1997 and lived to be 122 years old. (That’s older than Moses!)

Certainly, with age can come decline, but it can also bring great wisdom. Job 12 says “Wisdom belongs to the aged and understanding to the length of days.” Our elders have the capacity to reflect on a long life of experience and discernment, and wisdom like that is deserving of respect.

In the end, it seems like kind of a toss-up for the octogenarians and older in our midst. Some possess great knowledge to impart, and others struggle to communicate and reason effectively. Some may even do a little of both. I’ll leave it to you to discern which candidates fall into which category.

God can use anybody. Samuel was only about 6 years old when God began to speak to him. Abram was 75. Whatever your age, right now, I assure you you’re more than qualified to lead others closer to Christ. How you do that, and for whom, is a question for your wisdom to tackle.

Not everybody grows old gracefully, and I must confess that some of what I’ve seen from both of these candidates has been a little less than graceful. Still, as God later spoke to Samuel, “People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”

May your heart reflect something timeless and enduring. And may your capacity to love…

never be diminished.

Have a great week,

Mitch