When we can think clearly with the mind of Christ we will be evaluating our own character, our actions and mindsets to determine if they are of God.
The narcissist never evaluates themselves in truth. Mostly they come to erroneous conclusions about themselves based on what they want to be true but in fact is fantasy.
When we evaluate ourselves in truth we can change and grow as Christ makes changes in us because of our desire to be changed by Him.
Christ will not work in those who believe there is nothing to be changed in their character. The pride of the arrogant one prevents them from moving forward in holiness or humility.
Sadly I have met many who are 70 plus years of age who seem no different from when they were in their teens. In fact their flaws are magnified and intensified as they move into their elder years.
When the one who has not grown spiritually and emotionally moves into old age they no longer care if they have flaws, they expect everyone to accept their nonsense. Because of this mentality they become problem children for anyone who cares for them.
Of course we must treat the elderly with kindness and patience no matter how they act, its called respect. However the challenge is to evaluate ourselves to be sure we will not turn out like so many who have become worse instead of better as they move through this life into a new phase.
Those who do not have Christ will not stop lying because they are older, their lies will become bigger as their faulty memory grows.
We have all heard those "big fish" stories in which an elderly person caught the biggest trout ever caught, about 2 feet long. In reality that fish was only 8 inches. With selective memory of the elder, the grandiosity of the story unfolds that fish story as far more than what was real.
The object of this lesson is not to diminish the elder who is this way, but to evaluate ourselves to make sure it doesn't happen to us.
We must always treat the elders with respect and honor even when they indulge in their fantasies about the past. Since we cannot prove their story wrong then we must choose to believe it and love them anyway.
Those who are mature elders tend to remember things the way they really are and have grown wiser over the years. No one can grow wise while at the same time indulging in fantasy thinking. Choosing to believe what we want while rejecting truth will keep the one who does this in an infantile state that grows stronger with each denial of truth.
How do we avoid becoming one of those elders who are living in a fantasy world of make believe? Its quite simple. continually asking the Lord for wisdom, call things what they really are with the answers coming from the Word of God, will prevent fantasy thinking. God will honor those who honor Him. He will give wisdom to the one who loves truth. However, He will withhold wisdom from those who love pretense and lies.
James 1:4-6 "…4 Allow perseverance to finish its work, so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. 5 If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. 6 But he must ask in faith, without doubting, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.…"
1 John 3:18 "18 Little children, let us love not in word and speech, but in action and truth."
Ephesians 4:15
"15 but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ,"
There will be those who say to us that we were not loving in the way we told the truth. Most of the time this is nothing more than manipulation to be justified in rejecting the truth that was shared.
Notice in these encounters with people who say we were not loving in the delivery never address the subject of the discussion. When the attempt is made to bring the hearer back to the issue at hand, the prideful ones will stomp off angry while accusing us of anger.
The reason this happens is because the hearer didn't like what we said so they attempted to shut us down by declaring in us a character flaw or evil action. We must not allow their manipulations to deter us from the original subject.
We are encountering more of this angst from rebellious hearts than ever before. Just as this mentality grows so too will the intolerance of the rebellious elderly will grow.
These are the reasons I am convinced most elderly cannot become born again. Yes some do and it is glorious when this happens. But as with the rest of society the elderly are no different except that they have had more years to solidify their hatred of truth and tend to be staunch in their ways.
Yes we need to bring Christ to everyone no matter what age. The challenge is to view ourselves as potential elderly, asking ourselves what kind of a person will I be when I am old.
Do I want to be wise and Christlike, or will I be as so many who seem to have regressed because their walk with Christ was superficial based on fantasy thinking?
Just some thoughts!
