Proverbs 16:31-32 

³¹Gray hair is a crown of splendor; it is attained in the way of righteousness. ³²Better a patient person than a warrior, one with self-control than one who takes a city.

Winter Driving

         One reason that I love driving in winter is that, drivers are cautious, traffic is slower, and there are fewer over speeding drivers down the road. When the road is icy and slippery, it is very dangerous to overtake and overspeed. If drivers follow the speed limit, there could be less accidents.

         In winter, there are fewer reckless drivers who over speed when they overtake others. Over speeding vehicles don’t always get ahead. They can be caught in traffic jam also. Even when you follow the speed limit, you’ll find over speeding vehicles that overtake you waiting at next traffic light.

         Such reality practically illustrates that life on earth won’t always favor fast pace overtaking or over speeding approach in career. Overtaking may appear to be advantageous. But can you accept that the best approach to career success is the way of righteousness that God has designed for you?

         Together, let us internalize on what it declares in Psalm 34:15-17: ¹⁵The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are attentive to their cry; ¹⁶but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil, to blot out their name from the earth. ¹⁷The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles.

         It is righteous way of life to follow the rules. Following traffic rules and other regulations in this life is practical practice of righteous behavior. And the Lord is faithful to bless the righteous drivers who follow traffic rules.

         According to statistics, young drivers (15-24) have higher percentage of vehicular accidents that caused injuries and death. Just reflect at what age when you have more traffic violations. When you grow older and have gray hair, you’re more aware that following traffic rules is actually favorable. Do you like your gray hair? Gray hair is a crown of majestic splendor.

1. Splendor

³¹Gray hair is a crown of splendor; it is attained in the way of righteousness.

         Gray hair of older people is superb feature of splendor. It’s majestic appearance. The skin of older people may wrinkle, and gray or white hair balances a diminished beauty at old age. Gray hair brightens the aura of older people. But not everyone with gray hair are appreciated. The term “crown of splendor” pertains to “honor and glory” toward older people.

         Older people with gray hair who lived righteously are honored and respected. We easily observe how the general public respect the elderly.

Senior Citizen Discount

         Somewhere around the world, there is senior citizen discount or even exemption. When you are 65 years old in Manitoba, you can go fishing for free without license. There’s also old age security pension in Canada. There’s special treatment of senior citizens at the airport. What else?

         The Lord himself takes care of the frail old people. May we strongly believe and trust what the Lord declares in Isaiah 46:4, ⁴Even to your old age and gray hairs I am he, I am he who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you.

         Certainly, to grow old and helpless is not comfortable. You personally observe how relatives treat old people. Old people cannot eat as much as they wanted, just to maintain their health. They are not able to go wherever they wanted travel because they cannot move by their own strength.

         If you have worked in the home of the aged, you personally know that the old people cannot thoroughly clean themselves or eat by themselves. They cannot cook what they want to eat. And that is not very fascinating experience for sure. But with righteous way of living, the Lord brings people who would really take care of you when you become helpless and old.

         Only with the help of a righteous God can anyone live righteously before him. Pray for increase of faith and trust that God takes care of you in your old age. Living in righteousness is inspired by the Holy Spirit. Another fruit of the Holy Spirit in the life of a righteous person is self-control.

2. Self-Control

          ³²Better a patient person than a warrior, one with self-control than one who takes a city.

         Do you love the story of Napoleon Bonaparte or Alexander the Great? Millions of people may admire conquerors. Power and authority may entice anyone to conquer the world. They want to conquer even the highest mountain or the deepest ocean. Sad stories of explorers who failed in their mission are many. Pride causes mankind to sacrifice for the sake of power.

         King Solomon must have been very powerful in his generation, why? No kingdom wanted to go to war against King Solomon. But King Solomon concluded that patience and self-control are better that being conquerors.

         He must have observed intelligently when his brother Absalom tried to grab the kingdom from their father King David. Absalom died without proper burial. Another brother of King Solomon named Adonijah tried to establish himself as the right king of Israel when King David was very old

         It narrated in 1 Kings 1:5-8, ⁵Adonijah, whose mother was Haggith, put himself forward and said, “I will be king.” So he got chariots and horses ready, with fifty men to run ahead of him. ⁶His father had never rebuked him by asking, “Why do you behave as you do?” He was also very handsome and was born next after Absalom. ⁷Adonijah conferred with Joab son of Zeruiah and with Abiathar the priest, and they gave him their support. ⁸But Zadok the priest, Benaiah son of Jehoiada, Nathan the prophet, Shimei and Rei and David’s special guard did not join Adonijah.

         Adonijah never became king because God ordained it that Solomon was the successor of King David. Adonijah and those who conspired with him had unpleasant ending. If we proceed ahead of God’s timing, it will not have pleasant result. The Lord had already designed what is best for us.

         Waiting for lifetime partner can be very tough but we can learn from the great grandfather of King David, Boaz. Scholars suppose that Israelites women did not want to marry Boaz because of his mother Rahab. She was the prostitute who welcomed the spies when Israel conquered Jericho. But turn of events led the 80 years old Boaz married Ruth the Moabites. It says in Ruth 2:19-20, ¹⁹Ruth told her mother-in-law about the one at whose place she had been working. “The name of the man I worked with today is Boaz,” she said. ²⁰ “The Lord bless him!” Naomi said to her daughter-in-law. “He has not stopped showing his kindness to the living and the dead.”

         Boaz may have endured ridicule of not able to marry but he preferred to live  righteously. He was well respected person in Israel. In God’s proper timing, Ruth the Moabites came to Bethlehem when she accompanied her mother-in-law Naomi. Did God ordain it that Boaz should wait for Ruth?

Reflect on what the Lord declares in Psalm 46:10, ¹⁰Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.

         To be still and wait for God to accomplish his purposes, patience and self-control are needed. We have to seek and then be filled with the Holy Spirit to produce patience and self-control in us. When we patiently wait for the Lord, we also need the Spirit of wisdom and understanding for us know which practical activity we should do while waiting for him. And as we wait for the Lord patienly, we certainly praise and thank him for his blessing.

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