The Time of our Lives

Thinking about the OWC (Older Women's Club) I recently saw this statement: "Growing old is mandatory; growing up is optional!" I think this pretty much summarizes the spirit of the age. People of all ages are running from the responsibilities that attend their aging. Even a retirement community slogan reads, "this the time of your life to have the time of your life."

This approach to aging is antithetical to biblical teaching. We will see in coming weeks what are the responsibilities of older women but for today we will answer the question: Who is an "older woman"?

As we have said before, everyone is older than someone and can therefore be a teacher to someone, and everyone is younger than someone and therefore we all can learn from someone. But who, exactly, is Paul referring to in this passage? Is there a particular group of women that bears the greater responsibility to teach younger women?

I think it is women who have completed or are nearing completion of their childbearing and child rearing years. Paul wrote in 1 Timothy 5:9,10 that widows could be put on a list for receiving support from the church at the age of 60. A few verses later in that chapter Paul says that "younger widows [are to] marry, bear children, manage their households." So it seems there is a line of distinction made between younger and older based on their biological ability to bear children and manage them.

Believing women who are no longer having babies or raising those babies have experienced much in their life. They have experienced God, learned from His word, experienced the good of the Gospel in their sin, and witnessed God's promises to be true. They have lived through trials and joys, and seen God's sovereign hand in both. They have learned what is of greatest importance and are abiding in Christ. They have learned what are the best ways of home management, learned lessons in marriage and parenting. They are a rich source of spiritual and practical counsel. Also, women in this season of life have more time to spend with younger women because they are not so easily distracted by the demands of a young family.

And so, here is my question for the members of OWC: Are you ready to embrace the call of God for you in this season? Or is "growing up" still optional for you? Are you resisting the spirit of the age that insists we can now have "the time of our lives"? Or do you need to re-evaluate your preferences and priorities to allow you the freedom to fulfill your responsibilities in the OWC?

Actually, I do think we will have the time of our lives when we embrace our call as the older women of God. This is where we will find the great joy and blessing.