"Old Son"
He sports a big old moustache,
His hat panhandle creased,
His style is like the punchers,
Who’re mostly now deceased.
To say that he’s a throwback,
Is an understatement, sure,
The gunsels laugh behind his back,
He ignores and can endure,
‘Cause years gone since it mattered,
To him what people think,
Silently he does the work,
Without complaint or blink.
He’s weathered and he’s winsome,
At ease with horse and cow,
Got some real good stories,
And sometimes he’ll allow,
His silence to be broken,
And the way back when comes out,
You’re blessed if you can be there,
‘Cause it’s the west up close no doubt.
He’s seen what others claim to,
He’s done what others dream,
At peace to be a horseman,
And on God’s grace to lean.
And, yes, he’s got religion,
Believes down to the core,
Since childhood loved the Savior,
Knows what the Book is for.
He preaches if you ask him,
Tells what the Lord has said,
Told good-bye to many,
But death he does not dread.
Old son of the vaqueros,
And the drovers up the trail,
I’m thankful I have known him,
And to share with you his tale.
“Young men, in the same way be submissive to those who are older. All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, ‘God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” (1 Peter 5:5, NIV)
The Scriptures have a lot to say about giving honor to older people. They are to be valued, respected and looked to for wisdom. It’s interesting that Peter would give this counsel coupled with the ancient admonition that God resists the proud but graces the humble. The ultimate arrogance would be that we think we don’t need what people with more life experience have to offer us. This is especially true in our culture that worships youthfulness and physical beauty. Let us embrace the older folks as mentors and stop dismissing them from our lives as irrelevant.
Lord, help us humbly submit to the wisdom of older people, in Jesus’ name.
Art by Alfredo Rodriguez, alfredoartist.com. Used by permission. Thanks, Alfredo, and God bless you.