Proverbs 16:31 – The hoary head is a crown of glory, if it be found in the way of righteousness.
1 Timothy 5:1-2 – Rebuke not an elder, but intreat him as a father; and the younger men as brethren; The elder women as mothers; the younger as sisters, with all purity.
The gray beard is often the guy who has worked for a company or business for about 30 to 40 years and has all the experience everyone looks to. In the work of God it is the same. The older men and women in the church should be the ones we ask questions of and then listen to gain knowledge. The hoary or gray head is a crown of glory when someone has lived a life pleasing to the Lord and not compromised, quit or backed up on the Word of God. You do not rebuke an elder because most of the time you do not have the experience and depth of knowledge of life to correct them.
Our society has grown to not respect elders. God never intended it that way. We should respect the elderly just because they have lived life and God says to. It is always better to listen to an elder. You may need to prime the pump to get them talking but you should primarily just listen. If you are arguing with or rebuking a godly elder, something is wrong or you. Teenagers and young adults are especially bad about this. Youth seems to think they have all the answers. The problem is they have not experienced enough problems to see it is not as easy as they think. So listen to the gray beard or the sainted old mother with a little pepper and salt in her hair. And don’t go covering up what God has made a glory with a little hair coloring just so your vanity can be pleased.
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