There is much made of the cognitive powers of people over a certain age. I say a certain age because that number shifts according to whom you speak. I want to say, there is absolutely no reason Christians should buy into this lie because you have the mind of Christ.
This is a new thing, you know. When we grew up, we expected our elders to grow in wisdom and learning, and they did. Then they taught us. Take our wise elders out of the mix and everyone loses. We remove a vital asset from society and have no experience shared with our youth. This is a misconception which is undermining lives and destroying the fabric of society.
Think of your grandparents. Were they mindless? Mine were cogent. I never once considered that they or my parents would become less mentally capable. Is dementia a real thing? Is Alzheimer’s real? Of course, but those are not the issues I wish to address. However, if you expect to have cognitive decline at a particular age, then you will. If you understand and appreciate with the strength of your spirit that you have the mind of Christ, then you will continue to be strong until you move to heaven.
Remember this too, Moses’ ministry did not begin until he was eighty years old. In our current society, we have long since discarded those people. We are discarding our Moseses. That is frightening. Then society is run by the less educated and least experienced people.
Why didn’t God use Moses when He first spoke to him? Why did He wait until Moses turned eighty? Why did God appoint elders for the church? Should we relegate Paul’s writings as the ramblings of an old man? Please add your thoughts to the comments section.
What I wish for all to hear is that this current belief of the mental incapacity of elders is a fallacy, against Biblical teaching, and damaging to elders and society. I wish you to hear that you are not pre-destined for dementia or mental decline. God expects you to thrive and perhaps our real life, our real destiny kicks into gear after we retire from jobs.
Please, don’t let people talk you into decline. Defy their negativity with the Word of God which boldly declares that you have the mind of Christ. Don’t believe all the lies or false evidence. Twenty year olds misplace their keys too, as did we when we were that age. Don’t take something that has been true of you your whole life and suddenly make it evidence of cognitive decline. It is not true.
I expect you to grow in wisdom as you age. Everyday you read your Bible and pray to our God grows you. You are not in decline, my dear friends, you are growing in your mind of Christ. You are growing stronger and wiser and don’t except anything to the contrary. Don’t believe those who use age to discredit you. They are wrong. And, if you are the one saying those negative and heinous statements to yourself, reverse it. Make your 3 X 5 card with today’s verse on it. Put it on your bathroom mirror, another on your computer and another anywhere else you will see it routinely.
You have the mind of Christ. When you accept this statement and realize it was Jesus who sent it to you, then you will appreciate the truth of it.
If I may add one additional thought. Perhaps refrain from making “senior jokes.” I know it’s just a joke and you are kidding, but we don’t know the impact it has on hearers. Remember, our brains and bodies are listening to our words too. Those jokes are the seeds of a crop we would rather not harvest.