In my last post, I mentioned a trip to Tennessee.  The purpose of the trip was work not pleasure, and I went there to attend a workshop.

On the first day of class a fellow student made a comment about age, and I asked him:  “Well how old are you?”  His reply was:  “I’m older than I look, and I bet we are the same age.”  I should have taken the bet.  He is 43 and was shocked to learn that I am 59.

That conversation caused me to think about how a person manages his life.  Over the years I have seen many people who “age gracefully” and others who are “fully-aged.”

Good examples of this are Dick Clark and Naomi from the book of Ruth.  Clark died earlier this week and was known as the “world’s oldest teenager,”  Until he had a stroke a few years ago, Clark looked incredibly young for his age.  I’m certain that his DNA had a lot to do with this, but I am just as certain that he was a good manager of his life.

The second example may be one that is less familiar to you, so I will point you to the book of Ruth.  When Ruth and Naomi arrived in Bethlehem, the whole town was stirred because of them, and the women exclaimed, “Can this be Naomi?”  “Don’t call me Naomi,” she told them. “Call me Mara, because the Almighty has made my life very bitter (Ruth 1:19-20).

Naomi is a Hebrew name that means pleasantness.  Naomi’s life had been anything but pleasant.  She and her family had left Israel when a famine came; her husband had died; and, a few years later both sons died.  With no one left to support her, Naomi decided to return to her hometown.  When she arrived her family and friends were perplexed and asked:  “Can this be Naomi?”

The once young and pretty girl with a smile on her face had returned home, but the smile was gone.  The smooth skin was wrinkled, and the nimble girl was now bent over and fully-aged.  People could not believe what they saw.

Naomi had failed to manage her life.  Instead of managing her emotions and desires, they had managed her.  The result was a broken body and a crushed spirit.

In I Timothy 6:6, Paul said:  Godliness with contentment is great gain.  The problem with Naomi and many people people today is this:  In a quest for great gain, godliness can become an unwelcome guest.

Here’s a thought to keep you thinking:  Does the content of your life give you contentment?  If it does, there is a good chance that godliness is at the center of your life.  If there is a void and a lack 0f contentment, you may want to check your level of godliness.