Daily prayer: Father, we read of those in the Bible from generations long ago who lived upright and godly lives. They were discerning and wise, devoted in their duties such as Anna and Simeon who served in the temple. So many serve as examples of those who walked in Your ways from their youth and remained faithful through their golden years. Some of their choices brought about multiple blessings and other choices brought forth great sacrifice, persecution, or even death. We also read of those who were proud and foolish, thinking only of themselves, such as Samson, Ananias and Sapphira or Demetrius the Silversmith. They also serve as warnings to us. Since we will soon follow in the steps of our elderly friends help us to store up the wisdom, discipline, and overcoming spirit they convey as they deal with the inevitable physical pain, loss of loved ones, and lack of independence as a result of growing old. It’s in the name of Jesus that we pray. Amen.

* Brooksyne's Note: Speaking of learning from those older than us, I am involved in a mentoring program in our church and recently met a young wife and mother of two small children who is looking for guidance from an older woman - that would be me. We had a delightful visit and I look forward to sharing from the Scriptures and personal application as I offer encouragement and counsel over the next year. The program is based on Titus 2:3-5: "Older women likewise are to be reverent in their behavior, not malicious gossips nor enslaved to much wine, teaching what is good, so that they may encourage the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, to be sensible, pure, workers at home, kind, being subject to their own husbands, so that the word of God will not be dishonored".

Gravitas. Are you familiar with that word? Do you recall when you first heard it? I do. It was during the 2000 political campaign as commentators used the word over and over as they opined whether certain candidates had gravitas. At that time I had to look the word up and it means "having dignity, seriousness, or solemnity of manner". Gravitas was one of the Roman virtues, along with pietas, dignitas and virtus. It may be translated variously as “weight, seriousness and dignity, also having importance, and connotes a sense of depth of personality”.

A Biblical term to describe this sense of gravitas would be Titus 2:2. Titus describes how aged men should be, "Older men are to be sober-minded, dignified, self-controlled, sound in faith, in love, and in steadfastness". I focus on the word “dignified”. Other translations render this word, “grave” (KJV), “worthy of respect” (NIV), “serious” (Amplified).

The Greek word translated dignified is semnous (σεμνούς) found only two times in the New Testament, both in regard to church leadership meaning worthy of respect, noble.

Today we need men and women with spiritual gravitas!

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