Proverbs 16 31 the hoary head
is a crown of glory If it be found in the way of righteousness
The hoary head is just simply gray hair. That's what the word
mean gray or white hair of an old person Says it's a crown
of glory If It's a very simple verse, but there's quite a few
words in it, and every word of it is significant. The word glory
here means beauty, splendor, rank, renown, and honor. If, though, if, We experience this and on both
sides in our lives among those that we know and among some that
we love very much. An old person, age does have an effect, doesn't
it? An old person can be mean, grumpy, ugly, And I'm not just talking about
outwardly spiteful. And I tried to think of a word
for this. The only word I could come up with is negative. I don't
know. I don't really like that word,
but how else do you describe the fact that as we get older,
we just, everything we have to say tends to be something bad. It changes your outlook, doesn't
it? For the better or for the worse. Or God says, they are beautiful,
honorable, crowned with renown. known for their wisdom, known
for their kindness, known for the grace of God in them. And
the difference is not their nature. It's not just, you know, some
people are nicer than others, although that's true. That's
not the difference here. The difference is not their varying
experiences in life. You know, some people are bitter
because of things that happened to them. Some people are not
bitter because of things that happen to them. If. The difference is not their peers
or their education or their anything. The difference is the way of
righteousness according to God. If they be found in that way,
Not if they have attained to that way. Not if they have achieved rank and renown in that way.
But if they be found, like Noah found grace in the eyes of the
Lord. If they be found in that way. If they be found in him. Paul
said that I may be found him Found in the way of righteousness
If they be found having believed on the Lord Jesus Christ And
are following him that's the way he is the way he said I am
the way If they be found having been forgiven much and So now
they love much if they be found not henceforth living unto themselves,
but unto him that died for them and rose again. That's the difference. That's the difference. A lost old person can be really
nice, a really nice person. They may summon a smile for everybody
and say sweet things, but they won't be godly things unless
they're found in Christ. They won't be seasoned with the
grace of God if that person is a stranger to the grace of God. And there's no glory in that.
There's no glory in that. If they be not found in the way
of righteousness, then what way does that leave? An old person who all their life
for 60, 70, 80 years have denied the God who made them. They've
refused to bow and confess the Lord Jesus Christ over and over. Their life hangs by a thread
like the other thief on the cross, and like him, they've reviled
their Lord. and cast insults in his teeth. There's no glory in that, and
bouncing children on your knee is not gonna impress God. God is impressed with righteousness,
which is to say his son. He that hath the son hath life.
He that hath not the son of God hath not life. You're no different. than an old Nazi war criminal
who's happy about what he did. If you're not found in the way
of righteousness, you're no different to God now. I'd rather you be
a nice old person that doesn't know God than an evil, outwardly
bitter and hard to be around old person. But to God, there's
not any difference. But ah, how beautiful. is this
crown of glory that the Lord speaks of. And how precious that
ought to be to us, a real gift from God that's so badly neglected by most. The old person who's believed
on Christ, maybe 20, 30, 40, 50 years, They've known the Lord Jesus
Christ and grown in grace all that time. By God's grace, they've
grown in grace. Living things grow. They just
did. When someone with white hair
gives all the glory to the Lord Jesus, it's a crown of glory to them. And this crown of glory in our
text is not ever on someone who would ever accept any glory from
men. This is God's estimation. Let
me say that again. This crown of glory can never
be on someone that would ever accept any glory from men. This is a crown that they wear
that God sees. This is what God calls it. And so we call it that because
he does. We consider it that because he
does. This is God's estimation because
they're found in Christ. They're found in the way, him
who is the way. Him who is the righteousness
of God. They're found in the Lord our
righteousness. And so God calls it a crown of
glory. They're beautiful through His
comeliness. They're righteous because Christ
is their righteousness. They're crowned with glory because
He was crowned with thorns for them and received all glory. He is all glorious. And now God
forbid that we should glory save in Christ crucified. And if an
old person does, and I say old, you know, being polite, you know,
we usually say older person. That's more polite. But God says an old person has
a crown of glory on their head if they're in Christ. Particularly
as an aged person that has grown in grace throughout many years God has taught them some things
don't miss out on that Don't neglect that Treasure that There's only one who perfectly
fulfills the description in our text. We see that in everything
that has to do with us, and this certainly has to do with us.
But we also see Christ the ultimate example of everything. As I said,
we've seen that over and over, and it's true here. Listen to
Daniel seven and verse nine, Daniel chapter seven, verse nine.
I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of
Days did sit. He's saying all other thrones.
Remember, I believe it's Isaiah in Isaiah's prophecy where it
says the Lord alone shall be exalted in that day. That's what
this is talking about. All the thrones are cast down,
but he sits. He sits reigning. He sits supreme. He sits sovereign. The ancient
of days did sit, whose garment was white as snow. He's in the
way of righteousness, Let me explain that in a minute. And
the hair of his head is like the pure wool. His throne was
like the fiery flame in his wheels as burning fire. So here's God
pictured as hair like wool and righteous, holy, perfect, wearing
that white robe. His garment was white as snow.
So that's the ultimate of course fulfillment of that, but as he
is so are we in this world? We're in him God sees us as he
sees him and Yet let me say this His garment is not white as snow
because he is found in the way of righteousness. He is the way
of righteousness. Righteousness is not a standard
to which the Lord measures up to. He is the standard. There's a big difference. We
measure up because we're in him. He don't measure up. He's the
measure. He's the perfect stone. that's in the balance. He is
the way of righteousness. And may we, by his grace, be
found in him. Found in that way, found in Christ
the way. And if you run across maybe every
once in a while an old person, an old man or a beautiful Precious old lady that gives
Christ all the glory Rejoices in him Speaks of him and what
he did for sinners And by his grace has not only Knowledge in their head but experience
that only comes with white hair. And not just experiencing the
things of the world. That's not what I'm talking about.
I'm talking about living the grace of God. I'm talking about
living in Christ. I'm talking about being a doer
of the word for decades. That is a treasure that we neglect to our own detriment. I don't know how to say it right. They may dye their hair black
or brown or blonde. They may wear a wig, but that
won't cover up a lifetime of walking with the Savior. What a treasure. Don't miss the blessing of benefiting
from their wisdom in Christ and rejoicing in what God has
done. Amen.