September 28

“I stand here, an old, gray-haired man. I have served as your leader since I was a boy.” — 1 Sam 12:2

Old age is the test of life. It is the harvest of all the life’s sowing. In its evening shadows, the deeds of all the past years appear at their real value. All life’s memories gather about the old man’s last days, and make either sweetness or bitterness for him. It is a great thing to be able to stand up in old age, and face all one’s past without a blush, and challenge everyone to witness if anything wrong is known.

Nothing but well-lived years all along life’s way, can yield such a happy consciousness in old age. We must begin in early youth–to grow old; that is, to grow into the beauty and sweetness which we all want to have in our character, when we become old. If we would be able to face our own past without blushing, when we reach seventy years–we must not do anything during the seventy years that we shall be ashamed to face. If we would be able to challenge the scrutiny of the world, turning the light on every chapter of our life, every page and line–we must be careful that we leave nothing behind us as we go on, which anyone can bring up against us. It was because that from a child, Samuel had served God, and had been exemplary in his conduct–honest, faithful, and upright in all his dealings–that he could now so confidently appeal to his record.